INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Coffee Producers

Bob Blizzard: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps she will take to address the difficulties faced by poor people in coffee growing countries.

Clare Short: The UK is committed to reducing global poverty as measured by progress towards achieving the MDGs. The Department for International Development has bilateral programmes in a number of coffee producing developing countries where poor people's livelihoods are significantly dependent on coffee production. These include Ethiopia, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda; and Guatemala and Nicaragua. The UK supports countries in the development and implementation of their poverty reduction strategies, including nationally owned agricultural diversification plans to deal with commodity dependency. In Uganda, DFID is supporting a feasibility analysis for coffee certification to help poor producers realise better prices for their production. DFID also supports research in several coffee producing countries aimed at improving the competitiveness of smallholder production.

ESCAP

Tony Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the outcome of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific meeting in Bangkok in December 2002.

Sally Keeble: We are pleased with the outcome of the Fifth Asia and Pacific Population (ESCAP) Conference. The plan of action adopted at Bangkok represents a balanced, comprehensive and constructive framework for addressing reproductive health and poverty in the Asia/Pacific region and fully reaffirms the principles agreed at the 1994 Cairo International Conference on Population and Development. It will help the region to make progress on the millennium development goals especially maternal and infant mortality and tackling HIV/AIDS.

West Africa

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what her Department's priorities are for aid to west Africa in 2003.

Clare Short: My priorities in West Africa are:
	To help consolidate peace and security in Sierra Leone;
	To support Ghana's poverty reduction strategy;
	To encourage Nigeria to pursue effective reforms in order to reduce poverty; and
	To support poverty reduction strategies elsewhere in the region, particularly in the Gambia and Cameroon.
	An immediate priority for the region is to resolve the crisis in Cote d'lvoire. We are fully supporting the regional and international communities' efforts to assist.

Ethiopia

Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on her policy towards cancellation of Ethiopia's foreign debt.

Clare Short: HMG supports debt relief for Ethiopia within the framework of the internationally agreed Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative. Ethiopia qualified for interim debt relief from international creditors under HIPC at Decision Point in November 2001. This temporarily reduces the debt service payments Ethiopia has to pay. Ethiopia will qualify for irrevocable debt relief when it reaches Completion Point in the next year or two. Total HIPC debt relief over time will amount to $1.9 billion. These resources will be freed up for Government of Ethiopia to use for poverty reduction.
	Ethiopia owes the UK £15.4 million, but is already receiving full debt relief on this under the UK Government's policy, which provides 100 per cent. relief on debt service payments due, starting at Decision Point, and writes off formally the entire debt after Completion Point. The UK is also concerned that Ethiopia may finish the HIPC process with debts above the HIPC thresholds and we will seek to ensure that additional relief is provided as necessary to prevent this.
	We will continue to monitor the impact of external debt on the pace of poverty reduction in Ethiopia and work with the international community to address problems that may be identified.

Ethiopia

Wayne David: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what is being done to bring about greater international debt relief for Ethiopia.

Clare Short: HMG supports debt relief for Ethiopia within the framework of the internationally agreed Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative. Ethiopia qualified for interim debt relief from international creditors under HIPC at Decision Point in November 2001. This temporarily reduces the debt service payments Ethiopia has to pay. Ethiopia will qualify for irrevocable debt relief when it reaches Completion Point in the next year or two. Total HIPC debt relief over time will amount to $1.9 billion. These resources will be freed up for the Government of Ethiopia to use for poverty reduction.
	Ethiopia owes the UK £15.4 million, but is already receiving full debt relief on this under the UK Government's policy, which provides 100 per cent. relief on debt service payments due, starting at Decision Point, and writes off formally the entire debt after Completion Point. The UK is also concerned that Ethiopia may finish the HIPC process with debts above the HIPC thresholds, and we will seek to ensure that additional relief is provided as necessary to prevent this.
	We will continue to monitor the impact of external debt on the pace of poverty reduction in Ethiopia and work with the international community to address problems that may be identified.

European Aid Budget

Bill Tynan: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will take steps to reform the European aid budget so that it focuses on the needs of poor people.

Clare Short: I have been working to expose the inefficiency of the EC aid budget and mobilise a commitment to reform since 1997.
	My Department published a revised strategy for improving the poor performance of the European Community development programme in August 2001. I welcome the positive steps that the reform process has taken, including establishment for the first time of an EC development policy which secured poverty reduction as the central objective. We continue to work for agreement that a much greater share of EC aid should be allocated to low income countries where it will have the greatest impact on poverty reduction. In 2000, only 38 per cent. of EC aid was spent in low income countries compared to 70 per cent. in 1990. Indications are that the 2001 figure shows an improvement. Our objective remains to reverse this decline in order to improve the focus and effectiveness of EC aid.

Bangladesh

James Purnell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on her Department's efforts to relieve poverty in Bangladesh.

Clare Short: My Department finances a large programme in Bangladesh aimed at poverty reduction. We support health and education programmes with both Government and NGOs. We are working with a range of Government Departments to improve their capacity to plan and implement poverty programmes including improving the planning and management of public finances. We finance direct poverty programmes with NGO's and are strengthening the capacity of civil society organisations to increase the responsiveness of Government to poor people's needs. We are preparing a new Country Assistance Plan which will be published in April.

Iraq

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the potential humanitarian consequences of a war in Iraq.

Clare Short: My Department is considering a wide range of contingencies, which take into account the present humanitarian situation in Iraq.

Fair Trade

Claire Ward: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent action her Department has taken to promote fair trade products; and if she will make a statement.

Clare Short: My Department has provided financial support to the media campaigns of the Fairtrade Foundation designed specifically to raise both supermarket and consumer awareness of products carrying the Fairtrade Mark. In particular DFID has provided £120,000 to the Fairtrade Foundation over three years (2001–03) in support of its efforts to target new groups through its annual Fairtrade Fortnight campaigns.
	In addition, last year DFID approved a project (at a total cost of £300,000) designed to address a recognised bottleneck within Fair Trade—namely the limited number of products for which international Fair Trade standards exist. The project aims to develop new Fair Trade product standards, secure the registration of new producer groups and help bring additional Fair Trade products to supermarket shelves over the next two years. The target is to increase the retail value of Fair Trade sales in the UK to over £100 million per annum by 2004 and by so doing extend the benefits of Fair Trade to a greater number of producers in developing countries. By expanding the scale of Fair Trade activities, the project also aims to secure a sustainable future for the Fairtrade Foundation, so that its core operational costs (including the cost of subsequent promotional activities) can be fully funded from the income it receives from licensees.
	Although a niche market, Fair Trade can play a catalytic role. In the UK and Europe, the activities of the Fair Trade movement have raised awareness of the positive impact our buying decisions can have on poverty. These activities have in turn contributed to the growing demand for ethical trading standards to be employed by multinational companies in their dealings with developing country suppliers.

Angola

Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what support her Department will pledge to the Angolan Government at the forthcoming Donor's Conference in Angola.

Clare Short: We have not so far been advised of arrangements for a donor conference on Angola, although I understand that the Angolan Government would like one to take place in Brussels within the next few months. Rather than a pledging conference, we and other donor countries see this as a timely opportunity for discussion between the donor community and the Government on their plans for economic and social reform and development, building on the base of last year's peace agreement, and on the status of their discussions with the international financial institutions. We hope to continue to provide support to Angola in economic and social reform, effective governance, demobilisation and reconciliation, and the development and implementation of a national poverty reduction strategy. We will also continue to respond to Angola'surgent humanitarian needs for as long as this is required.

Angola

John Lyons: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance the Government is giving to Angola in the clearance of landmines.

Clare Short: My Department has allocated £300,000 to UNDP for a project aimed at improving the effectiveness of mine action through strengthened co-ordination at the provincial level. DFID has also contributed US$ 50,000 in support of a mine action database. The United Kingdom contributed 19.7 per cent. of the 6 million euros which the EC has made available for mine action in Angola. This included 5 million euros to a variety of mine clearance agencies.
	The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs recently contributed US$460,000 from its Emergency Response Fund for Angola (ERF) to clear the mines from some of the main transport arteries used to deliver emergency supplies. The United Kingdom was one of the main donors to this fund in 2002, contributing £1.5 million.

Centre for International Briefing

Virginia Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions she has held with the Centre for International Briefing, Farnham; and what plans she has to visit the centre.

Clare Short: I have had no discussions with the Centre for International Briefing, Farnham and have no plans to visit the centre.

Chad/Cameroon

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions her Department has had with the Governments of (a) Chad and (b) Cameroon on World Bank funds for the Chad-Cameroon pipeline; and if she will make a statement on the social and environmental objectives of the pipeline.

Clare Short: My Department has not had any direct discussions with the Governments of Chad and Cameroon about World Bank support to the Chad-Cameroon petroleum development and pipeline project because our support is provided through multilateral channels.
	We recognise that this project raises a number of potential social and environmental concerns. My original approval to the World Bank contributing towards the project was based on the view that it had the potential significantly to reduce poverty in Chad, one of the poorest countries in the world. I also believe the project will take much fuller account of social and environmental considerations with World Bank involvement than without. Project approval followed extensive improvements to the design to ensure that the project met the bank's environmental and social safeguards, and the introduction of mechanisms to monitor such impacts and ensure that oil revenues would serve to finance mainly poverty expenditures. Significant changes were made to the proposed route of the pipeline to reduce the impact on the natural and human environments. Since the project was approved, the bank, and International Finance Corporation, have allocated exceptional resources to monitor and support its implementation. Where problems have been identified, World bank management have drawn up proposals to address them which are discussed by the Board of Executive Directors, of which the UK is a member. We will continue to monitor progress on the project and take up issues as necessary with the bank so that the full benefits of this investment for the poor can be realised.

Chad/Cameroon

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps her Department is taking to tackle corruption in (a) Chad and (b) Cameroon.

Clare Short: Our assistance to Chad is channelled through multilateral channels. The World Bank and the European Commission are helping tackle corruption in particular through the monitoring of the revenues from the Chad-Cameroon petroleum development and pipeline project to ensure they are mainly used for poverty reduction. An international advisory committee has been established aimed at ensuring transparency and good governance in implementation of this project.
	In Cameroon, we are actively engaged in the preparation of a Forest and Environment Sector programme, which will include measures aimed at combating corruption in the forestry sector. We also currently fund an independent monitor of illegal logging. More generally my Department has supported the inclusion of benchmarks on good governance, as part of the assessment of Cameroon's eligibility for debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries initiative, and will encourage full implementation of the Poverty Reduction Strategy.

Civil Servants

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many civil servants have been employed by (a) her Department and (b) each of its agencies and non-departmental bodies in each year from 1994–95 to 2002–03; and if she will make a statement.

Clare Short: The Scotland Office was established in its present form on 1 July 1999. Since that date, the department has not sold any assets.

Debt Relief

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make it her policy to support the establishment of criteria for debt cancellation which are based on the resources needed by a country to meet the Millennium Development Goals.

Clare Short: Debt relief alone cannot deliver the resources needed to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), and significant new resources will be required. Developing countries generally, not just heavily indebted poor countries face a financing gap in meeting the MDGs. Further debt relief to HIPCs would not be an effective way of generating additional resources. Most bilateral creditors, like the UK, have already written off all or nearly all of the debts from HIPCs, so further relief would have to come almost entirely from existing resources provided by the multilaterals, such as the World bank. This would mean skewing money away from other equally poor non-HIPC countries, which might have better policy environments than some HIPCs. This is why we have focused on debt relief as a means of ensuring debt sustainability, and why additional donor resources will inevitably be needed to meet the MDGs.

Debt Relief

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what action she is taking to encourage multi-national companies to co-operate with heavily indebted poor countries.

Clare Short: The UK is concerned about the issue of creditor participation in the HIPC Initiative. Debt relief from commercial creditors accounts for only 4.4 per cent. of HIPC relief, but the potential costs to HIPC countries in terms of administrative and legal costs are much higher. We have raised this with the World Bank and the IMF, and at the G7 Summit in Kananaskis in June 2002. Bank and fund staffs are increasing the pressure on non-participating creditors. We welcome the decision last September to publish details of creditor participation—something we had pressed for—and we hope that it will increase international pressure on all creditors to deliver their share of relief. We have also asked the World Bank and the IMF to come forward with more proposals to promote creditor participation, such as a donor-funded technical assistance facility to provide legal advice to HIPC countries facing litigation. Staff are currently preparing a paper.

Departmental Staff

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many full-time equivalent staff are employed in (a) the Department and (b) each of the agencies it sponsors; and what the figures were for 1997.

Clare Short: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by the Minister of State, Cabinet Office on 16 January 2003, Official Report, column 697W).

Development Aid (Palestine)

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much development aid was paid to Palestinians in 2002; and which projects were funded.

Clare Short: DFID provided £68 million to the Palestinians in 2002. This figure comprises:
	Bilateral programme: £15 million
	UNRWA: £22 million
	UK Share of EC funding: £31 million
	Our bilateral development programme in the West Bank and Gaza Strip focuses on support for the Middle East peace process; capacity building and institutional development; improvements to basic services, and a range of emergency programmes arising from the current conflict.

Ethiopia and Eritrea

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what contribution her Department has made to the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea on the demarcation of the border between the two countries; and what estimate she has made of the impact which the projected funding shortfall of the Mission will have on the progress towards demarcation.

Clare Short: We have contributed £750,000 of support to the UN Trust Fund for the Delimitation and Demarcation of the Ethiopia/Eritrea border.
	We will keep the situation under review in order to help the international community play its full part in ensuring that UNMEE is able to carry out its mandate.

Flooding (Malawi/Mozambique)

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the recent floods in (a) Malawi and (b) Mozambique.

Clare Short: In Malawi the Humanitarian Working Group of the National Food Security Task Force is now assessing the overall extent and impact of the recent floods. My Department is working with partners in this working group to develop an appropriate response.
	In Mozambique, damage caused by tropical cyclone Delfina in Zambezia and Nampula provinces is not thought to be as severe as initially anticipated. However more information is required as there is currently a lack of comprehensive data. Damage to the Nacala railway will impact on the Malawi food pipeline.

Heavily Indebted Poor Countries

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what action she is taking to assist countries which have passed their completion point under the HIPC initiative with unsustainable debt.

Clare Short: The Government has been working to win greater international concern for the problems of debt sustainability facing some Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPCs) as a result of falling commodity prices and I have raised these concerns at the Development Committee of the World Bank repeatedly over recent years. In Ottawa in November 2001, we asked Bank and Fund staff to revisit the debt sustainability analyses of all commodity dependent low-income countries, including HIPCs. The HIPC Initiative now has the flexibility to provide, when appropriate, additional debt relief at Completion Point, so called 'lopping up', to ensure that countries exit the HIPC process with sustainable levels of debt. However, this is not enough and the UK is pressing the World Bank and the IMF to widen their approach to topping up, so that any HIPC country facing unsustainable debts, that has demonstrated its commitment to poverty reduction and economic reform, should qualify for this additional relief. In April 2002, Burkina Faso became the first country to qualify for topping up. Debt relief alone, however, cannot guarantee future sustainability. This requires sound macroeconomic policies, strong growth and export bases, including access to markets of developed countries, access to adequate financing on highly concessional loan and grant terms, and prudent policies on new borrowing. The UK is co-financing a debt strategy project aimed at helping HIPC governments to strengthen their debt management capacity. The UK is also providing substantial aid to Bolivia, Mozambique, Tanzania, and Uganda—countries that have passed their HIPC Completion Point.

Heritage Assets

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what sales of heritage assets and antique assets have been made by her Department since May 1997; if she will list other assets; and if she will estimate the total sales proceeds.

Clare Short: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given today by my hon. Friend, the Minister of State, Cabinet Office.

HIPC Initiative

John Barrett: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what consideration is given to the costs associated with (a) the millennium development goals and (b) combating HIV/AIDS in the construction of poverty reduction strategy papers for countries wishing to enter the HIPC initiative.

Clare Short: I have been asked to reply.
	In line with the principle of ownership and country-led processes which the UK has championed, Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs) set national development targets which, in most cases, closely overlap with the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The costings section of PRSPs provides an estimate of the cost of reaching these national development targets and how HIPC debit relief is to be allocated accordingly.
	For many HIPC countries, HIV/AIDS is an important factor in the analysis of poverty trends for PRSPs and usually costed within the health sector plans. HIV/AIDS is a multi-sector issue, and we are working with developing country partners to strengthen the quality of these plans and costings.

Mozambique

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the impact of the failure of the Government of Mozambique to declare a national emergency on international efforts to assist in providing for the needs of people unable to meet their food needs up to the next harvest period in March 2003.

Clare Short: The current situation in Mozambique should be seen in the context of the country's increased ability to meet its food needs and respond to such a crisis and the Government's legitimate caution about undermining coping strategies or risking donor fatigue.
	Food production has recovered since the end of the long war in Mozambique, from 80 per cent. dependency on food aid in 1992 to now only importing about 20 per cent. of its food. The Government of Mozambique have been able to respond early to the threat of the current drought. For example the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development provided seeds and other agricultural inputs to drought-affected families, and has begun to rehabilitate small dams and irrigation schemes. The Government are conscious of the risks of large handouts of food aid contributing to weakening local self-help initiatives as people abandon traditional coping mechanisms.
	Mozambique is subject to recurrent natural disasters and has frequently been forced to declare national emergencies, most recently in the floods of 2000–01 and 2001–02. The current drought affects about 3 per cent. of the population, nearly all of them in sparsely populated, semi-arid areas of the country. In this context, the Government have not declared an emergency due to legitimate concerns about donor fatigue and a perception that the current crisis forms part of a long-term trend to increased vulnerability in the drought areas, which cannot be solved with short-term aid alone.
	The lack of a formal declaration of emergency has made it difficult for some donors to mobilise emergency funds, and Mozambique has not been able to form part of the Consolidated Appeal Process or the regional appeal of the Federation of the Red Cross. UN efforts in providing co-ordination services to humanitarian stakeholders have been hampered and there has been limited mapping of humanitarian programmes, leading to poor information about gaps in the delivery of assistance and difficulties with the identification of sensible projects.
	However, although the Government have not made a formal joint appeal, they have requested help from individual UN agencies, eg WFP (food aid), UNICEF (supplementary feeding) and FAO (seeds and other agricultural interventions). DFID has contributed to supporting these.

Paper Supplies

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development who the suppliers are of her Department's (a) paper and (b) paper products.

Clare Short: The relevant suppliers are as follows:
	London
	Paper: David John Papers, Slough, Berkshire.
	Envelopes and other stationery: Banner Business Supplies Ltd., Norwich, and Guilbert UK Ltd., Northampton.
	Labels: Avery Denison, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire.
	Paper towels and toilet tissue: Executive Cleaning Services, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire.
	East Kilbride
	Paper and Card: Glenmore Business Paper, Rosyth, Fife.
	File covers: Astron, Livingston.
	Paper towels and toilet tissue: PHS/AC Henderson, East Kilbride.
	Envelopes: Banner Business Supplies Ltd., Norwich.

Poverty Linkages

Helen Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when her Department's study of the linkages between wildlife and poverty will be available (a) to the Department and (b) for wider consultation.

Clare Short: The final version of the Wildlife and Poverty paper is available on the DFID website. It will be published in the near future and a copy placed in
	the House of Commons Library.

Press Releases

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many press releases have been issued by her Department in each (a) year and (b) quarter from 1995–96 to 2002–03; and if she will make a statement.

Clare Short: The information is as follows:
	(a) Number of press releases issued from 1995–2003 are outlined as follows:
	
		Issued by ODA
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1995 71 
			 1996 50 
			 To May 1997 16 
		
	
	
		Issued by DFID
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 From May 1997 47 
			 1998 74 
			 1999 82 
			 2000 29 
			 2001 38 
			 2002 38 
			 2003(1) 1 
		
	
	(1) Until 21 January
	(b) Number of press releases issued from 1995–96 to 2002–03 are outlined as follows:
	
		
			  January– March April– June July– September October– December 
		
		
			 1995 25 14 15 17 
			 1996 15 11 11 13 
			 1997 16 13 8 26 
			 1998 29 15 9 21 
			 1999 18 17 23 24 
			 2000 11 7 4 7 
			 2001 18 6 5 9 
			 2002 8 6 8 16 
			 2003(2) 1 — — — 
		
	
	(2) Until 21 January
	With our press releases we are focusing on trying to promote coverage which raises awareness and understanding of development issues.

Sickness Absence

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many days were lost due to sickness absence in the Department in 2002.

Clare Short: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Ribble Valley (Mr. Evans) earlier today.

Sickness Absence

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many working days have been lost due to illness in her Department in (a) 2002 and (b) each of the preceding five years.

Clare Short: My Department will announce the number of sick absences recorded in 2002 in due course.
	The number of sick absences recorded in my Department from 1997 to 2001 is:
	
		
			 Year Number of absences Average number of days per staff year 
		
		
			 1997 9,250 8.1 
			 1998 8,643 7.3 
			 1999 9,263 7.3 
			 2000 8,426 6.2 
			 2001 11,545 8.3 
		
	
	Staff numbers on which these are based have risen from 1,142 in 1997 to 1,391 in 2001.

Sudan

Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps her Department is taking to promote good governance and respect for human rights in Sudan.

Clare Short: The only long-term answer to improving human rights situation in Sudan is a peace settlement. We believe the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) peace process offers the best chance to bring an end to the civil war through a negotiated settlement between the Government of Sudan and the SPLM/A. In 2002, the talks produced breakthroughs on the key issues of state and religion and self-determination for the south and a Memorandum of Understanding on a cessation of hostilities and unimpeded humanitarian access and agreement on aspects of power and wealth-sharing, as well as human rights.
	The war in Sudan has prevented many donors, including the UK, from carrying out a development programme in Sudan over the past decade. Over $500 million of development funding will become available from the international community when there is peace: this is an important incentive for the warring parties to reach a comprehensive agreement. We are co-ordinating closely with other donor countries on all matters, including assessing support for good governance. Until there is a peace agreement, we will continue to support life-saving humanitarian work and peacebuilding activities such as personnel to monitor the ceasefire in the Nuba Mountains, support for anti-slavery work and for the IGAD secretariat.

Zimbabwe

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when she last met representatives of opposition parties in Zimbabwe.

Clare Short: I have not met representatives of Zimbabwe's opposition parties in recent months. My officials maintain dialogue on the humanitarian situation with a wide representation of civil society.

Zimbabwe

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when she last met representatives of the Government of South Africa to discuss the political situation in Zimbabwe.

Clare Short: I have had no such discussions. The British High Commission in Pretoria is in regular contact with the Government of South Africa on the situation in Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether the World Bank continues to fund government programmes in Zimbabwe.

Clare Short: The World bank has not disbursed funds in Zimbabwe since 2000, after the Government of Zimbabwe ceased making payments on previous loans. Zimbabwe's arrears to the World Bank totalled US$107.4 million as at 6 December 2002. The World bank cannot resume lending until the arrears are repaid in full.

PRIME MINISTER

Chancellor Schroeder

Keith Vaz: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his recent meeting with the German Chancellor Schroeder.

Tony Blair: My wife and I visited Hanover on 11 January for a dinner with Chancellor Schroeder and his wife. We discussed policy issues of mutual interest.

Civil Servants

David Laws: To ask the Prime Minister how many civil servants have been employed by (a) his Department and (b) each of its agencies and non-departmental bodies in each year from 1994–95 to 2002–03; and if he will make a statement.

Tony Blair: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Cabinet Office today.

Convention on the Future of Europe

Keith Vaz: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on UK policy towards the agreement reached between President Chirac and Chancellor Schroeder for the Convention on the Future of Europe; and what measures he will take to enhance British influence in the EU.

Tony Blair: I welcome the Franco-German contribution to the debate on Europe's future. Strong French and German engagement is essential to take the debate on the future of the EU forward towards a more democratic, accountable and effective European Union. The paper is good for the UK. It contains important proposals which the UK has advocated, such as a full-time Chair of the European Council. The UK will continue to engage with confidence in the debate on the future of Europe.

E-mail

Tom Watson: To ask the Prime Minister when his e-mail address will be established for members of the public to contact him online.

Tony Blair: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Guildford (Sue Doughty) on 6 November 2002, Official Report, column 399W.

Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty

Llew Smith: To ask the Prime Minister when he last discussed United States compliance with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty with the President of the United States.

Tony Blair: I remain in close touch with President Bush about a range of international matters.

Referendums

Andrew Turner: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to his answer of 18 December 2002, Official Report, column 811W, on referendums if he will make a statement on the Government's criteria for determining on which subjects it is appropriate for referendums to be held.

Tony Blair: I refer the hon. Member to my previous reply on 9 January 2003, Official Report, column 306W, where I indicated that there are no criteria, set out in either the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act or elsewhere, for determining on which subjects it is appropriate for referendums to be held.
	Dedicated primary legislation is required for any particular Referendum and the Government would of course, explain its reasons for deciding that the issue in
	question was suitable for a referendum.

Weapons of Mass Destruction

Llew Smith: To ask the Prime Minister when the United Kingdom first provided UNMOVIC and the International Atomic Energy Agency with intelligence material on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction.

Tony Blair: The United Kingdom has been providing information of various kinds to UN weapons inspectors since they first started inspections in Iraq in 1991.

TRANSPORT

A3

Virginia Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the timetable is for commencement of work on the A3 tunnel at Hindhead.

John Spellar: I have asked the Chief Executive of the Highways Agency, Tim Matthews to write to the right hon. Member.
	Letter from T. Matthews to Virginia Bottomley, dated 22 January 2003
	The Minister for Transport, John Spellar, has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the timetable for commencement of work on the A3 tunnel at Hindhead.
	The programme for the scheme remains as we previously advised your office in December. Subject to the satisfactory completion of the statutory procedures, we aim to start construction in 2005 and take about 4 years to build the project, opening it to traffic in 2009. The next major stage will be the publication of draft Orders under the Highways Act together with an Environmental Statement. This remains on target for publication this Autumn.
	Current work is centred on further ground investigation involving the sinking of additional boreholes at both Hindhead Common and Tyndalls Wood. This work is being carried out to build up a more detailed picture of the geology to inform the tunnel design.
	If you require any information please contact Paul Arnold the Project Team Leader in Dorking office (01306 878475).

Departmental Staff

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many full-time equivalent staff are employed in (a) the Department and (b) each of the agencies it sponsors; and what the figures were for 1997.

David Jamieson: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister of State, Cabinet Office, on 16 January 2003, Official Report, column 697W.

DEFENCE

Biological Agents

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what medical advice is given to personnel in advance of their inoculation against biological agents

Lewis Moonie: Independent, expert medical advice confirms that immunisation against anthrax is safe and effective. United Kingdom Armed Forces personnel included in the voluntary immunisation programme against anthrax are encouraged to take advantage of the additional protection it provides. All personnel included in the programme are comprehensively briefed on the disease and on the vaccine, and given time to consider whether to accept it. The briefing includes an information leaflet, a video, a briefing from a commanding officer and an opportunity to speak to a doctor. All the briefing materials were drawn up with the assistance of expert medical advice. There is also a help-line, and copies of all the printed materials are available from the MOD web-site [www.mod.uk] along with links to additional information and answers to frequently asked questions.
	We have announced our intention to vaccinate a small cohort of medical and NBC specialists against smallpox; I refer the hon. Member to my written ministerial statement of 2 December 2002 (Official Report, column 60WS). This small number of personnel receive detailed specialist briefing on the vaccine and on the disease.

Blood Stocks

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contingency measures have been put in place to ensure there are sufficient stocks of blood and plasma available to the armed forces in the event of military action in Iraq.

Lewis Moonie: The provision of blood and blood products to the armed forces in the event of military action in Iraq is the responsibility of the Defence Medical Supplies Agency who obtain all necessary requirements from the National Blood Service in England. Arrangements are in place to ensure that all anticipated requirements will be met. In extremis, the Defence Medical Services have a limited capability to take blood in theatre.

Defence Logistics Organisation

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the outcome of the McKinsey report into the operations of the Defence Logistics Organisation; and what plans he has to reduce staff numbers at the Defence Logistics Organisation.

Adam Ingram: The McKinsey report confirmed that the rationale for a fully integrated Defence Logistics Organisation (DLO) remains as persuasive now as it was at the time of the strategic defence review in 1998. The DLO has made real, demonstrable progress towards its strategic objectives, while continuing to provide a high level of support to operations and exercises. The McKinsey report identifies the key principles that will underpin the long-term strategy for logistics support, and proposes improvements in the three core logistics processes (procurement, engineering and asset management, and materiel flow), many of which build on existing good practice within the DLO. The key principles and performance targets are embedded in the new DLO strategic plan, and work to deliver against these objectives is being taken forward in the DLO change programme. McKinsey also identified a need for wider end-to-end review of the logistics processes in the land and air environments, and this is now the subject of a separate follow up study that will report in the summer.
	Staff numbers in the DLO are reducing as a result of a number of initiatives and rationalisation measures already implemented, such as the warship support modernisation initiative. The McKinsey report suggested that more significant reductions in DLO staff numbers could be achieved. More study and testing will be required before any firm conclusions can be drawn. Any reduction in staff numbers will be as a consequence of changes to modernise logistic processes and any decisions to change how the DLO's current provider functions should be undertaken in the future.

Departmental Expenditure (Newsprint)

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the total expenditure of his Department was on newspapers, magazines and periodicals in 2002.

Lewis Moonie: Expenditure on commercial and HMSO publications, including newspapers and periodicals, by the Ministry of Defence in financial year 2001–02 was £8,070,439.67.

Departmental Fraud Investigations

Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many staff have been suspended pending fraud investigation in his Department in each of the last five years.

Lewis Moonie: Reported cases of suspected fraud are recorded centrally on a summary basis only, and detailed information on the number of staff under suspension pending fraud investigation in each of the last five years could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Fraud Investigations

Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people have been found guilty of fraud offences in his Department in each of the last five years.

Lewis Moonie: I will write to my hon. Friend and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Departmental Staff

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the distribution of his Department's whole-time equivalent staff was, including the staff in agencies and other bodies reporting to him, in each Government office region and nation of the UK (a) in 1996 and (b) at the most recent available period.

Lewis Moonie: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to him on 15 January 2003, Official Report, column 609W, by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Cabinet Office.

Diversification Agency

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which north east companies have had negotiations with the Defence Diversification Agency in each year since its inception.

Lewis Moonie: The Defence Diversification Agency has had dealings with some 417 companies through its office in the north east since it was set up in April 2001. Of these, deeper discussions have taken place with 59 companies and a listing of these companies follows:
	
		
			 Name Company 
		
		
			 Stephen Taylor Pyramid Design Associates 
			 Lesley Sharp NRS UK Ltd. 
			  Bodycote Materials Testing 
			 Phil Kite William Cook Defence 
			 R. Nassor Stargate Precision Engineering 
			 Tony Wilkinson Royston Engineering Group 
			 Jeff Sylph North British Tapes 
			 Owen Craggs Neptune Engineering 
			 Malcolm Thomson MM Thomson 
			 Johnathan Marks Hunter Gears Ltd. 
			 Jim Broadway EMAT 
			 Steven Knaggs Agronautics 
			 David Poole AEI Cables Ltd. 
			 Mick Callan Welwyn Components Ltd. 
			 John Hartas Synthesys 
			 Jim Wallace Seaward Electronics 
			 John Morrison Sapphire Technologies Ltd. 
			 Harry Barnshaw Teledyne Electronic Technologies 
			 John Johnson PDQ Engineering Ltd. 
			 Geoff Edwards Oxley 
			 Brian Johnson Northern Precision Engineering Ltd. 
			 Terry Williamson Rolls Royce 
			 Steve Grainger Enlgma 
			 Judith Knights Nicholsons 
			 Tony Brown Metrology Software Products Ltd 
			 Nizam Balkhi Electronics Design 
			 Ian Moore Treepax 
			 Ken Rowntree Broady Naval Flow Control 
			 Peter McGowan Mercurl Urval 
			 Raymund Kelly TRISK 
			 Andrew Robson Premier Engineering 
			 Tom Trusty Sycopel International Ltd. 
			 Geoff Brumfield AIK Crossley & Bradley 
			 Glen Callender Bibby 
			 Michael Stoker Carmichael Associates 
			 Avril Leach People 4 U 
			 Steven Brown NEBCC 
			 Paul Mitchell Orbitel Marketing 
			 Richard Smith Oxford Chemicals Ltd. 
			 Paul Newman 2Touch 
			 David Bowles NDI Ltd. 
			 Barry Stoddart Procter & Gamble 
			 Arthur Chadwick South Tyneside College 
			 John Autherson EPICC 
			 Bob Marris ETRUST 
			 Dr. John Casci Synetlx 
			 Geoff Race Northern Offshore Federation 
			 Peter Lovering Singsby Aviation 
			 David Lussey Peratech Ltd. 
			 Colin Arrowsmith ATEECC 
			 Nick R. C. Goddard Stephensson Gobin 
			 Martin E. Morey Morey Osys Technology Ltd. 
			 John B. Aitchison Alcan 
			 Wayne Richardson Senstronics 
			 Jeannette Roddy Answers Consulting 
			 Mark Nails TCS 
			 Steph Hargreaves Institute for Automotive and Manufacturing Advanced Practice (AMAP) 
			 Ron Jamieson RCID 
			 George Ord NE Innovation Centre Co. Ltd.

External Consultants

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the total cost to his Department was of the use of external consultants in 2002.

Lewis Moonie: The Ministry of Defence places its annual return for external assistance expenditure, which includes fees for external consultants, in the Libraries of the House. These data are collected on the basis of the financial year, and details of expenditure for 2001–02 will be published shortly. To provide this information on the basis of a calendar year, and a specific figure for the cost of external consultants, could be achieved only at disproportionate cost. The figures for 2002–03 will be collected and published once the current financial year has ended.

Fair Trade

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what fair trade criteria he sets when deciding upon what suppliers to use.

Adam Ingram: As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development has made clear, the Government are committed to supporting ethical trading wherever possible and provide significant support to the Fairtrade Foundation's efforts in promoting the supply and marketing of Fairtrade products.
	The setting of Fairtrade criteria for the selection of suppliers would be contrary to the EC public procurement directives, which apply to this type of procurement. These rules prohibit both positive and negative forms of discrimination. The Ministry of Defence's approach is to publish its forthcoming, higher value, requirements for products that might have Fairtrade sources of supply in the Official Journal of the European Communities, and to set out in those advertisements the supplier selection and contract award criteria that will be applied. Fairtrade suppliers who satisfy the criteria and offer value for money solutions to MOD's requirements will always have every opportunity to be successful.

Field Hospitals

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many field hospitals are deployable; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what is the (a) establishment and (b) strength of each (i) regular and (ii) reserve field hospital; and where each is based.

Lewis Moonie: holding answer 20 January 2003
	The establishment and strength of each of the regular and reserve field hospital units, together with their locations, is shown in the following table:
	
		Field hospital units
		
			 Unit Establishment Strength Based 
		
		
			 22 FD HOSP 105 89 Thornhill Bks, Aldershot, Hants 
			 33 FD HOSP 105 105 Fort Blockhouse, Gosport, Hants 
			 34 FD HOSP 105 91 Queen Elizabeth Bks, Strensall, Yorkshire 
			 201 FD HOSP(V) 416 (TA) 12 (Regular) 368 Fenham Bks, Newcastle Upon Tyne 
			 202 FD HOSP (V) 415 (TA) 16 (Regular) 358 Roger Nutbeem House, Kings Heath, Birmingham 
			 203 FD HOSP (V) 416 (TA) 13 (Regular) 260 TA Centre, Llandaff North, Cardiff 
			 204 FD HOSP (V) 416(TA) 12 (Regular) 271 TA Centre, Belfast, Northern Ireland 
			 205 FD HOSP (V) 416 (TA) 12 (Regular) 308 Graham House, Glasgow Scotland 
			 207 FD HOSP (V) 415 (TA) 16 (Regular) 323 TA Centre, Kings Road, Manchester 
			 208 FD HOSP (V) 416 (TA) 13 (Regular) 337 Chavasse House, Sarum Road, Liverpool 
			 212 FD HOSP (V) 416 (TA) 13 (Regular) 294 Endcliffe Hall, Endcliffe Vale Road, Sheffield 
			 243 FD HOSP (V) 416 (TA) 16 (Regular) 235 TA Centre ,Keynsham, Bristol 
			 256 FD HOSP (V) 416 (TA) 16 (regular) 316 TA Centre, Walworth, London 
			 306 FD HOSP (V) 429 (TA) 0 (Regular) 251 Imphal Bks, Fulford Road, York 
		
	
	We can currently deploy four field hospitals, which would be manned by both Regular and Reserve personnel.

HM Lifeguards

Jim Dowd: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many incidents involving members of the public being attacked by horses used by HM Lifeguards in Whitehall have occurred in each of the last five years; in how many cases this has resulted in claims against his Department; and what has been the result in each case.

Lewis Moonie: The Ministry of Defence has not received any details of incidents within the last 12 months of members of the public being attacked by horses of the Lifeguards in Whitehall. Information relating to the previous four years could be provided only at disproportionate cost. No claims for compensation have been received during the last five years.

HMS Coventry and HMS London

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made on the disposal of HMS Coventry and HMS London; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: I can confirm that the Romanian Government have decided to acquire HMS Coventry and HMS London under Government-to-Government arrangements. The Acquisition Agreement was countersigned earlier last week by my noble Friend the Minister for Defence Procurement, Lord Bach, and the Romanian State Secretary for Armaments, Dr. Gheorge Matache. BAE Systems will act as the United Kingdom prime contractor.
	The Romanian Navy will receive highly capable and NATO compatible warships to meet their operational requirements and provide increased security in the region.
	It is fitting that having completed their service in the Royal Navy, the ships will continue their useful service with Romania, which has recently been invited to become a member of NATO.

HMS Sheffield

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the programme is for the disposal of HMS Sheffield; and what revenue has been or is expected to be raised by her disposal.

Adam Ingram: The final disposal programme and therefore subsequent revenue relating to HMS Sheffield have yet to be determined. However, I can confirm that Government-to-Government discussions are in progress with a potential customer. It is not our practice to provide details of current and sensitive disposal sales discussions and I am therefore withholding that information in accordance with Exemption 1 (International Relations) and Exemption 13 (Third Party's Commercial Confidences) of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Illegal Drugs/Contraband

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the totals of (a) ships intercepted and (b) seizures made of (i) contraband and (ii) illegal drugs by the Royal Navy in each of the past five years.

Adam Ingram: The information requested as regards seizures of illegal drugs by the Royal Navy over the last five years is as follows.
	
		£ 
		
			 Date Ship Value Type 
		
		
			 May 1999 Marlborough 1 billion Cocaine 
			 November 1999 Northumberland 135 million Cocaine 
			 July 2001 Coventry 80 million Cocaine 
			 July 2002 Newcastle 1.5 million Marijuana 
			 July 2002 Newcastle 42 million Cocaine 
			 September 2002 Grafton — Marijuana 
			 October 2002 Grafton 65 million Cocaine 
		
	
	However, statistics relating to ship interceptions and seizures of contraband are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Iraq

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what level of BA/Rescue team support is required to support the planned deployment of Royal Naval and Royal Air Force personnel to the Persian Gulf; and what impact such a deployment would have on emergency military fire cover in the United Kingdom.

Adam Ingram: Royal Navy vessels do not sail without a full complement of damage control and fire-fighting capabilities, which include breathing apparatus and trained personnel. The level of such support varies from ship to ship. The current Naval Task Group 03 deployment is fully equipped and has the trained personnel to deal with fire hazards. The RAF have trained personnel in the Gulf region to support long-term operations. No additional RAF personnel have been deployed. There has been no effect on emergency military fire cover in the United Kingdom and none is anticipated.

Job Sharing

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the extent of job sharing in his Department.

Lewis Moonie: The Ministry of Defence is committed to the work/life balance of its civilian staff. A range of flexible working patterns including part time working, flexible working hours, home working and job sharing is available to civilian staff by agreement with their management.
	United Kingdom Defence Statistics 2002, Chapter 2, table 2.33 shows 5,004 civilian staff (excluding those in Trading Funds) employed on a part time basis at 1 April 2002. At 15 January 2003, 594 civilian staff were recorded centrally as being employed formally under job sharing arrangements.

Joint Task Force Exercise

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what problems of compatibility were experienced between British and US communications equipment during the US Department of Defence's Joint Task Force Exercise.

Adam Ingram: Exercise Internal Look was a US 'Command Post' exercise. The only communications equipment employed was Command and Control (C2) computer networks. Each nation employed national systems, which were not linked, and both also used a coalition C2 network which meant that compatibility problems were not an issue during the exercise.

Joint Task Force Exercise

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many British troops were involved in the US Department of Defence's Joint Task Force Exercise.

Adam Ingram: Exercise Internal Look 03 took place in December 2002.
	The number of United Kingdom personnel taking part in the exercise changed on a daily basis. About 830 were involved full-time for the majority of the exercise's duration.

Marine Pollution

Bill Tynan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether it is his Department's policy to regard the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973 and the Protocol of 1978 related thereto (MARPOL 73/78), as amended and reiterated in Regulation (EC) No 417/2002 as best practice; what plans he has to take steps to apply MARPOL 73/78 to vessels falling under the auspices of his Department; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: All of the vessels that fall under the auspices of the Ministry of Defence comply with the provisions of the marine pollution legislation quoted and which is collectively known as MARPOL 73/78. Although MARPOL 73/78 allows, under Article 3, for the exemption of military vessels from its provisions it has long been MOD policy that these vessels will comply with or put in place systems that are as good or better than the standards required by this legislation. All military ships have a management system for environmental compliance and this is audited on a regular basis. In addition, any pollution incident is reported and the appropriate steps taken to minimise the pollution potential.

Maritime Terrorist Threats

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what changes his Department has made in respect of future (a) numbers of and (b) armament for fast patrol boats as a result of Islamist terrorist maritime threats since the attack on the USS Cole.

Adam Ingram: The Royal Navy currently has 18 Inshore Patrol Craft in commission. The requirement for naval force protection is reviewed regularly. Most recently, this has seen the decision to replace the Gibraltar Squadron with vessels previously assigned to patrol duties in the Northern Ireland region. I am, however, withholding full details of the Royal Navy's patrol craft capability in accordance with Exemption 1 of the code of practice on Access to Government Information.

Missile Inceptors

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his assessment is of the feasibility of basing missile interceptors in the UK as part of a ballistic missile defence system; and if he will make a statement.

Geoff Hoon: No such assessment has been undertaken.

Missing Firearms

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many firearms have gone missing from the stocks of the (a) Army, (b) Navy and (c) RAF in each of the last five years; and what category of weapons these were.

Lewis Moonie: In the last five years up to 15 January 2003, 101 firearms were declared missing from the three armed services. Over the same period, 72 were recovered. The following table indicates the losses per year by category:
	
		
			 Year Royal Navy Army Royal Air Force Total losses Total(3)recoveries 
		
		
			 1998 Nil 3 Pistols 11 Military Rifles 1 Military Rifle 15 11 
			   
			 1999 1 Pistol 1 Pistol 9 Military Rifles 1 Sub-Machine Gun 1 Mortar 1 Antique/Other 1 Shot Gun Nil 15 15 
			   
			 2000 1 Military Rifle 21 Pistols 1 Military Rifle 10 Antique/Others 7 Shot Guns 1 Antique/Other 4 Target Rifles (Sport) 45 23 
			   
			 2001 Nil 4 Pistols 3 Military Rifles 2 Sub-Machine Guns 2 Pistols 11 14 
			   
			 2002 Nil 2 Pistols 4 Military Rifles 4 Sub-Machine Guns 2 Target Rifles (Sport) 3 Pistols 15 9 
		
	
	(3) The numbers of recovered firearms quoted in the draft answer does not directly correlate to the losses in the same years, because losses and recoveries do not always occur in the same year.

Naval Establishments

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 16 December 2002, Official Report, column 516W, and his letter to the hon. Member for New Forest, East of 18 December 2002, how many intruders of those listed in each of the tables set out in that letter as having been arrested were charged with offences; and what the reasons are for the disparity between numbers arrested and numbers convicted following incursions at (a) RNAD Coulport from April 2001–02 and (b) HMNB Clyde from April 2000–01 and from April 2001–02.

Adam Ingram: All persons arrested, identified in the tables contained in my letter of 18 December 2002, were charged and all those persons arrested in Scotland were reported to the Procurator Fiscal with a view to prosecution. Convictions however are a matter for the judicial system.

Operational Status

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the operational status is of (a) 22 Regiment Royal Artillery and (b) 161 (Ambulance) Regiment RLC.

Adam Ingram: 22 Regiment Royal Artillery is under the operational command of 7 Air Defence Brigade and the Regiment is currently operational. 161 (Ambulance) Regiment Royal Logistic Corps was disbanded on 1 October 2002 as a result of the Strategic Defence Review.

Pay Talks

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with the Public and Commercial Services Union about their opposition to the four-year pay settlement; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: holding answer 20 January 2003
	Neither my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence, nor I have met the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) to discuss this issue. But the Permanent Secretary met with representatives of the union on 25 November 2002 to discuss their concerns. The Ministry of Defence continues to listen to the concerns of the PCS, and take account of them as implementation proceeds and officials continue to maintain a close dialogue with the trade unions about this matter.

Public Service Agreements

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list PSA targets for 1999–2000 to 2001–02 which his Department has not achieved stating the progress made in each case; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: The Ministry of Defence published details of progress against all outstanding PSA targets, including for 1999–2000 to 2001–02, in its Performance Report 2001–02 (Cm 5661), laid before the House on 22 November 2002.

QinetiQ

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the timing of his placing in the Library his departmental minute on the sell-off of QinetiQ to the Carlyle Group.

Lewis Moonie: On 5 December 2002, immediately after the key terms for the sale of a stake in QinetiQ were agreed with the purchaser, I announced the details to Parliament. Following this, and in accordance with government accounting rules and in line with normal departmental practice, officials prepared a departmental minute describing the contingent liabilities accepted by the Ministry of Defence as part of the transaction. This was formally laid before Parliament on 17 December.
	Members have 14 sitting days to raise any objections to the proposals detailed in the minute and this period ends on 23 January 2003.

QinetiQ

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the composition was of the financial payment made to QinetiQ on its post-privatisation; how much was paid in respect of (a) staff pensions, (b) termination of prior contracts and (c) other issues.

Lewis Moonie: No such payments have been made to QinetiQ. Certain contingent liabilities in relation to staff pensions and to contract termination remain with the Ministry of Defence, and these were described in the departmental Minute laid before Parliament on 17 December 2002.

QinetiQ

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy to postpone to go-ahead with the sale of QinetiQ to the Carlyle Group until Parliament has an opportunity to evaluate and debate the proposals set out in his departmental minute of 17 December 2002.

Lewis Moonie: No. To date, we have received no substantive objections which would justify either a delay in the sale process or a Parliamentary debate. However, we will, of course, continue to give proper consideration to any specific points raised in relation to the issues covered in the Departmental Minute laid before the House on 17 December 2002.

RAF Fairford

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the flight path of planes flying into and out of RAF Fairford.

Lewis Moonie: holding answer 21 January 2003
	Most aircraft arriving at or departing from RAF Fairford use the Daventry corridor, situated about 20 miles to the north east of the base. Incoming planes generally descend to 2000 feet as they make their final approach along a westerly or easterly flight path as dictated by the orientation of the runway and the prevailing wind speed and direction. Similarly, planes departing the base also use a westerly or easterly flight path.

RAF Fairford

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what limitations upon stored weapons apply to RAF Fairford.

Lewis Moonie: [holding answer 21 January 2003): Aircraft weapons are not stored at RAF Fairford during normal peacetime operations, although to a maximum limit of 200kg, explosives may be brought to RAF Fairford in support of exercise activities. The storage facilities for explosives are licensed in accordance with relevant peacetime Explosives Regulations.
	As might be expected, a small quantity of personal firearms and ammunition are held at the base.

RAF Fairford

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many military personnel are stationed at RAF Fairford; and how many civilian personnel are employed there.

Lewis Moonie: holding answer 21 January 2003
	As at 31 December 2002, the numbers of military and civilian personnel at RAF Fairford were:
	
		
			  Military personnel stationed Civilian personnel employed 
		
		
			 RAF Fairford 175 212

Royal Navy (Amphibious Capability)

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the future amphibious capability of the Royal Navy in respect of (a) ships and (b) personnel.

Adam Ingram: By the end of 2005 the Royal Navy will have substantially increased its overall capability to conduct amphibious operations. In addition to the Helicopter Landing Platform (HMS Ocean) and the Landing Ship Logistic RFA Sir Bedivere, on current plans the Royal Navy will also have available two new Landing Platform Docks (HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark) and four new Bay Class Landing Ship Dock (Auxiliary). The Invincible Class Aircraft Carriers are also capable of operating in the amphibious assault role. There are no current plans to change the Royal Marines manning requirement. Table 31 of the Departmental Performance Report 2001–02 provides details of Royal Marines units.

Search and Rescue

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost was in each of the last five years of his Department's search and rescue capability in the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 15 January 2003, Official Report, column 637–38W.

Suez Veterans

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when a decision will be made on whether Suez veterans should receive an honour.

Lewis Moonie: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 13 January 2003, Official Report, column 404W, to the hon. Member for Mid-Dorset and North Poole (Mrs. Brooke).

CABINET OFFICE

Annual Report

Norman Lamb: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how much producing the Cabinet Office's latest annual report cost; how many copies were printed; how many copies of it were sold at its cover price; to whom copies of the report have been provided free of charge; and how many copies were provided free of charge.

Douglas Alexander: The Stationery Office Limited (TSO) produced the latest Cabinet Office Departmental Report (Cm 5429). TSO determine the number of copies printed for retail sale and meet the costs of printing and publication. TSO are not obliged to provide this information as these are costs which they meet themselves and are not charged to Departments. TSO has sold 354 copies of the departmental report and provided the Cabinet Office with 250 copies. The Cabinet Office paid £23,177 to TSO for other costs including design and the 250 copies received. The Cabinet Office copies were mainly distributed within the Department and to some other Government Departments.

Delivery Unit

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 
	(1)  how many people are in the delivery unit; and how many are (a) working within the Treasury and (b) transferred to the Treasury;
	(2)  when the decision was made to move the delivery unit to the Treasury.

Douglas Alexander: The delivery unit remains a part of the Cabinet Office. At 1 January 2003, it had 34 full-time equivalent staff.

Civil Servants

David Laws: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many civil servants have been employed by (a) his Department and (b) each of its agencies and non departmental bodies in each year from 1994–95 to 2002–03; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: Full-time equivalent numbers for staff in all Civil Service departments and agencies is released twice-yearly by Press Notice. The latest data, for April 2002, were published on 31 October 2002. Data for April of each year from 1995 to 2001 appear in the latest edition of the annual publication 'Civil Service Statistics'. Data for previous years are contained in previous editions of the publication. Copies of the Press Notices and annual publication are available from the Libraries of the House.
	Comparisons over time are made difficult because of changes in the make up of the departments and agencies comprising the Civil Service. Not only do new organisations appear and old ones disappear, but staff changes may reflect the transfer of work between departments and agencies.
	With the exception of those staff employed by the Health and Safety Commission and Executive, and the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service, the staff employed by Executive non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) are not civil servants. Advisory NDPBs are generally supported by civil servants from their sponsor departments, and do not employ their own staff.
	My department publishes annually information on public bodies, including NDPBs. This includes details on the number of staff employed by the public body. Copies of 'Public Bodies 2001', and equivalent publication for previous years, are available in the Libraries of the House. 'Public Bodies 2002' will be published shortly.

Ministerial Travel

David Laws: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what his estimate is of the total expenditure by his Department on ministerial travel (a) in the UK and (b) abroad, in each year from 1995–96 to 2002–03 (estimated); and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: Since 1999 this Government has published an annual list of all visits overseas undertaken by Cabinet Ministers costing £500 or more during each financial year. The Government has also published on an annual basis the cost of all Ministers' visits overseas. Copies of the lists are available in the Libraries of the House.
	Information for 1997–98 was included in the 1999 list. The overall cost of Minister's visits for the years 1995–96 and 1996–97 was most recently provided with the 2001 list. The information for 2002–03 will be published as soon as possible after the end of the financial year.
	Detailed information requested in respect of UK travel is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	All travel is undertaken fully in accordance with the rules set out in the Ministerial Code and Travel by Ministers, copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House.

Open Government

Norman Baker: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office pursuant to his written statement of 19 December 2002, Official Report, column 65WS, on open government, if he will provide a breakdown of the figures given on each Department by year from 1992.

Douglas Alexander: The files prior to 1997 have been destroyed as part of the normal review process. The 1 April 1999 return covered a 33 month period.
	The most detailed breakdown of figures available centrally is as follows:
	
		
			 Department As at 31 March 1997 1 April 1997– 31 March 1998 1 April 1998– 31 March 1999 1 April 1999– 31 December 2001 
		
		
			 Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 5,907 201 13 42 
			 Cabinet Office 4,198 1,409 1,859 134 
			 Office for National Statistics 400 0 0 1 
			 Crown Prosecution Service 1,054 0 0 0 
			 HM Customs and Excise 964 44 0 0 
			 Ministry of Defence 9,081 1,519 917 535 
			 Department for Education and Skills 3,802 0 0 0 
			 Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions 1,496 5,754 4,334 10,693 
			 Foreign and Commonwealth Office 10,597 3,551 956 3,496 
			 Department of Health 890 0 383 849 
			 Department for Work and Pensions 2,944 0 49 329 
			 Home Office 3,162 180 88 123 
			 Board of Inland Revenue 0 0 0 2 
			 Lord Chancellor's Department 4,692 0 452 1,304 
			 Court Services 2,114 1,407 0 0 
			 Metropolitan Police 615 149 205 182 
			 Northern Ireland (NI and Departments, Northern Ireland Office and NI Court Services) 11,808 0 0 0 
			 Department for International Development 613 0 136 0 
			 Scottish Executive 4,928 0 0 0 
			 Department of Trade and Industry 111 3 33 504 
			 HM Treasury 659 49 70 217 
			 Wales Office, Office of the Secretary of State for Wales 237 0 0 746 
			 Government Communications Headquarters 5,824 141 852 2,266

Statutory Instruments

John Bercow: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many statutory instruments have been issued by the Cabinet Office in each calendar year since 1979.

Douglas Alexander: The information requested covering the period from 1979 to 1998 could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, the information is available from 1999 onwards and is as follows:
	1999: 4
	2000: 3
	2001: 1
	2002: 2.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Coastal Defences

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if the Government has agreed with all operating authorities a common format for information on flood and coastal defence assets.

Margaret Beckett: A common format for information on all flood and sea defences was included within guidance issued to all operating authorities by the Environment Agency acting under its supervisory duty.

Coastal Defences

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the Government's original target date was for the completion of the National Flood and Coastal Protection Database; what the target is now; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Beckett: The original target date for the completion of the National Flood and Coastal Defence Database (NFCDD) was 1 September 2000. However, early analysis indicated this was not achievable. Subsequently, the delivery has proved more complex than originally envisaged, and it is currently being installed at EA sites. The revised date for delivery of Phases One and Two is now June 2003. Positive steps have been taken to provide analysis and results required for other purposes in parallel with the database development to minimise the impacts of the delays.

Livestock Disposal

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what calculation she has made of the costs of the EU directive on disposal of dead stock for (a) the Government and (b) farmers;
	(2)  what discussions she has had with (a) the livestock industry and (b) hunts on the introduction of the EU directive on disposal of dead stock;
	(3)  if she will make a statement on the Government's policy towards the forthcoming EU Directive on disposal of dead stock.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 20 January 2003
	Since April 2002, we have been involved in discussions with livestock and disposal industry stakeholders over future arrangements and funding options for disposal of fallen stock. The farming unions and the Master of the Foxhounds Association have been involved in these discussions.
	I met with representatives from the farming unions and the knacker and rendering industry on 3 December 2002 to discuss a joint proposal for a National Fallen Stock disposal scheme. The Government are prepared to make available the funding which it currently puts annually into collection and disposal of stock for the purposes of TSE testing into a National Scheme (nearly £30 million). However the industry must be responsible for additional funding and running of the Scheme (estimated to be around £20 million).
	The livestock industry must now consider whether it wants to proceed with a National Scheme on this basis.
	The Government expects farmers to comply with the new EU Directive. Those that do not can expect to be prosecuted.

Deer

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many deer were shot by the Forestry Commission in Somerset in (a) 2000–01 and (b) 2001–02.

Elliot Morley: The subject of the question relates to matters undertaken by Forest Enterprise. I asked its Chief Executive, Dr. Bob Mclntosh, to arrange a written response which I have attached.
	Letter from Dr. Bob McIntosh to Mr. Liddell-Grainger, dated January 2003
	I refer to the question you have asked of the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on how many deer were shot by the Forestry Commission in Somerset in (a) 2000–01 and (b) 2001–02. I have been asked to reply to you.
	We shot a total of 200 deer in 2000–01 (1 April-31 March) and 171 in 2001–02 (1 April-31 March) on Forestry Commission land in the county of Somerset.
	I hope this is the information you require.

Deer

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs who is responsible for calculating the deer figures in the UK; and what they were at the most recent date.

Elliot Morley: No statutory body routinely collects information on overall wild deer numbers in England and Wales, or in Northern Ireland. The Deer Commission for Scotland conducts wild deer censuses in different areas every year and has estimated that wild deer in Scotland might currently number 600,000, although no completely reliable figure is available.
	Stephen Harris et al. (1995) estimated the following pre-breeding population sizes for deer in Great Britain.
	
		
			  England Scotland Wales Total GB 
		
		
			 Red deer 12,500 347,000 <50 360,000 
			 Fallow deer 95,000 <4,000 <1,000 100,000 
			 Roe deer 150,000 350,000 50 500,000 
			 Sika deer 2,500 9,000 0 11,500 
			 Muntjac deer 40,000 <50 <250 40,000 
			 Chinese water deer 650 0 0 650 
		
	
	Source:
	From: Harris, S., Morris P., Wray S. and Yalden D. 1995. "A Review of British Mammals: population estimates and conservation status of British mammals other than cetaceans". JNCC, Peterborough.

Drainage Boards

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which (a) local authorities and (b) drainage boards have still to produce a publicly available policy statement setting out plans for delivering the Government's policy aims and objectives for flood and coastal defence.

Margaret Beckett: When information on policy statements received was last compared with the Environment Agency in September 2002, statements had yet to be received from the following bodies:
	Internal Drainage Boards (13)
	Adlingfleet and Whitgift DC
	Althorpe DB
	Crowle Area IDB
	Gravesend Bridge to Sheerness and Penshurst C of S
	Lombards Wall to Gravesend
	Bridge C of S
	Rawcliffe DB
	Scotter IDB
	South Axholme IDB
	Thorntree IDB (completion expected by December 2002)
	Tickhill DB
	West Axholme
	West Butterwick
	Woodwalton DC
	Local Authorities (117)
	Ashfield District Council
	Aylesbury Vale District Council
	Babergh District Council
	Barking and Dagenham London
	Borough Council
	Barnet London Borough Council
	Basildon District Council
	Basingstoke and Deane
	Borough Council
	Blaby District Council
	Boston Borough Council
	Bracknell Forest Borough Council
	Bradford City Council
	Breckland Council
	Brent London Borough Council
	Brentwood Borough Council
	Bridgnorth District Council
	Brighton and Hove Council
	Broadland District Council
	Bromsgrove District Council
	Broxbourne Borough Council
	Cambridge City Council
	Carrick District Council
	Castle Point Borough Council
	Chelmsford Borough Council
	Chester-le-Street District Council
	Chiltern District Council
	City of London
	Corby Borough Council
	Craven District Council
	Crawley Borough Council
	Croydon London Borough Council
	Dacorum Borough Council
	Dartford Borough Council
	Derbyshire Dales District Council
	Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council
	Ealing London Borough Council
	East Cambridgeshire District Council
	East Hertfordshire District Council
	East Lindsey District Council
	Fenland District Council
	Forest Heath District Council
	Forest of Dean District Council
	Greenwich London Borough Council
	Guildford Borough Council
	Hackney London Borough Council
	Hammersmith and Fulham London Borough Council
	Harborough District Council
	Haringey London Borough Council
	Harlow District Council
	Havering London Borough Council
	High Peak Borough Council
	Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council
	Horsham District Council
	Isles of Scilly Council
	Kensington and Chelsea Royal Borough
	Kettering Borough Council
	King's Lynn & West Norfolk
	Borough Council
	Kingston upon Thames Royal Borough
	Lewisham London Borough Council
	Lincoln City Council
	Maidstone Borough Council
	Maldon District Council
	Malvern Hills District Council
	Mendip District Council
	Merton London Borough Council
	Mid Devon District Council
	Milton Keynes Council
	Newham London Borough Council
	North Hertfordshire District Council
	North Kesteven District Council
	North West Leicestershire District Council
	North Wiltshire District Council
	Norwich City Council
	Nottingham City Council
	Oadby and Wigston Borough Council
	Oxford City Council
	Penwith District Council
	Plymouth City Council
	Reading Borough Council
	Redbridge London Borough Council
	Richmond upon Thames London
	Borough Council
	Rochford District Council
	Rushmoor Borough Council
	Salisbury District Council
	Sedgefield Borough Council
	Sedgemoor District Council
	Selby District Council
	Slough Borough Council
	South Bucks District Council
	South Derbyshire District Council
	South Hams District Council
	South Holland District Council
	South Kesteven District Council
	South Norfolk District Council
	South Oxfordshire District Council
	South Somerset District Council
	Southend-on-Sea Borough Council
	Spelthorne Borough Council
	St. Albans District Council
	Staffordshire Moorlands District Council
	Stevenage Borough Council
	Teesdale District Council
	Three Rivers District Council
	Thurrock Borough Council
	Tower Hamlets London Borough Council
	Tunbridge Wells Borough Council
	Uttlesford District Council
	Wakefield City Council
	Waltham Forest London Borough Council
	Wandsworth London Borough Council
	Watford Borough Council
	West Berkshire Council
	West Lindsey District Council
	West Somerset District Council
	West Wiltshire District Council
	Westminster City Council
	Weymouth & Portland Borough Council
	Windsor & Maidenhead Royal Borough
	Wokingham Council
	Wyre Forest District Council
	It should be noted that many of these councils do not have watercourses presenting significant flood risk.

Energy Efficiency

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which local authorities adopted measures to improve the thermal insulation of buildings under their Home Energy Conservation Act obligations in fewer than 0.25 per cent. of their buildings over the last year.

Elliot Morley: The Home Energy Conservation Act does not require Energy Conservation Authorities to report on specific energy efficiency measures or the numbers of buildings in which measures have been installed. They are required to report on the overall progress they have made in implementing measures they have identified as being practicable, cost-effective and likely to result in significant improvement in the energy efficiency of the residential accommodation in their area.

Environment Agency

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to review High Level Target 9 following the Environment Agency's report to her Department.

Margaret Beckett: All High Level Targets, including Target 9, are due to be reviewed this year.

Environment Agency

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the total budget for the Environment Agency (a) was in 2001–02 and (b) is in 2002–03.

Michael Meacher: The total expenditure budget for the Environment Agency in (a) 2001–02 was £662.3 million and (b) 2002–03 was £758.2 million.

Environment Agency

Anne Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what action the Government are taking to ensure that the Environment Agency website can cope with the volume of traffic in emergencies.

Elliot Morley: The website is not the primary means of providing flood warning. The main flood warning systems operate effectively, including the Agency's Floodline telephone service, Automatic Voice Warning systems, news media information and direct manual warnings in flood warned areas.
	However, the Environment Agency has recognised the problems that occurred on its website during the new year floods. It has acted to improve the reliability of its service by installing a new high volume service to provide flood warning information for up to 100,000 visitors an hour—some 20 times more than the volume of visitors experienced during the peak of the new year floods.
	In addition, the Agency has restructured its website so that the flood warning facility will be unaffected by other non-flood warning users, and updated the design and search facility to provide a more user-friendly service.

European Water Directive

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations her Department will be making to the Council of Ministers in discussions regarding the European Water Framework Directive concerning acceptable targets and objectives for levels of mercury in groundwater.

Elliot Morley: The Department will seek to ensure that both human health and the ecosystems dependent upon groundwater are protected from the risks posed by mercury. We will be looking to ensure that the Water Framework Directive and the intended new "daughter" Directive for Groundwater deliver the same high level of protection that is provided under the existing stringent regulatory regime covering mercury in groundwater.

European Water Directive

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what resources have been made available in the spending review to the Environment Agency to carry out its role as competent authority in implementing the European Water Framework Directive.

Elliot Morley: The Environment Agency has continued to receive significant grant-in-aid from the Department. This has increased from £103.7 million in 1999–2000 to £116.7 million in 2002–03 (figures in EA Corporate Plan for 2002–03).
	In total, the agency's budget (grant plus charges and levies) has increased from £620 million in 1999–2000 to just short of £750 million in 2002–03. These are substantial resources, and our view is that the agency is sufficiently funded to deliver its statutory responsibilities.
	It is for the agency to organise those resources so that the Water Framework Directive is adequately resourced but we are confident it has been provided with adequate means to do so.

European Water Directive

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what planning policy and regional guidance will be issued to local authorities with regard to the implementation of the European Water Framework Directive.

Elliot Morley: Planning policy is for my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister. Planning policy guidance note, (PPG) 25 Development and flood risk, already makes reference to the requirements of the Water Framework Directive. In addition, PPG 23 Planning and pollution control, is currently being revised and it will also make appropriate reference. We are considering whether anything further will be required as regards the implications for planning of the Water Framework Directive.

European Water Directive

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what she estimates the impact of the European Water Framework Directive to be upon (a) water management and (b) land use planning at local government level.

Elliot Morley: The information is as follows:
	(a) The Water Framework Directive sets up a catchment-based system of managing water through the establishment of river basin districts. The Environment Agency, which the Government have proposed should be the competent authority for the directive, already manages water on a catchment basis. Therefore, although boundaries will be new, the principle will not.
	In addition, England is well placed in legislative and institutional terms to implement the directive-in terms of the regulatory system, licence regimes and legal framework already in place. Our second consultation paper consults on what the gaps are and how they might be filled.
	The activities required by the Water Framework Directive-such as review of human activity, economic analysis, co-ordination of river basin management plans and selection of programme(s) of measures-will enable water to be managed in a more holistic way which encourages interested parties to contribute more actively to how water is managed in their area.
	(b) We are considering the implications of the Directive for land use planning at local government level in discussion with the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, the Environment Agency and others. The Environment agency is also carrying out research into the effects of land use on water quality.

European Water Directive

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will estimate the overall costs to the United Kingdom that will be incurred by the implementation of the European Water Framework Directive.

Elliot Morley: In England and Wales a preliminary assessment of the costs and benefits of implementing the Directive was set out in the first consultation paper issued jointly by the then Department for the Environment, Transport and the Regions and the National Assembly for Wales. The study estimated total costs in the range of £2 billion to £9.2 billion. A copy of the paper is in the House Library.
	These costs will be updated in the revised Regulatory Impact Assessment which is in progress and which will be published with the Third Consultation Paper which will be published this year.
	Implementation of the directive in the United Kingdom is a devolved matter. Defra and the Welsh Assembly Government are working jointly on transposition.

European Water Directive

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures her Department and the Environment Agency are putting in place to prepare for the implementation of the European Water Framework Directive.

Elliot Morley: The Water Framework Directive deadlines stretch to 2015, the date by which environmental objectives must be met.
	Much work is already underway by both Defra and the Environment Agency to prepare for implementation. Both have consulted and will consult further on implementation. The Environment Agency has developed an implementation programme to prepare for implementation.

Water Framework Directive

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she has taken to consult non-governmental organisations about the interpretation and implementation of the Water Framework Directive.

Margaret Beckett: We are currently consulting on our proposals to give legal effect to the Directive. This includes proposals covering the public participation requirements of the Directive in Article 14. This is our second consultation and a third is planned for 2003. The Environment Agency have also, at our request, been carrying out consultation on various technical issues relating to the Directive.
	In June 2001, we set up a forum for key stakeholders to discuss issues relating to the Water Framework Directive and water policy in general. Its membership covers a wide range of interests, including the environment, the water industry, agriculture, the countryside and industry. At its first meeting, the group agreed that it would have three main purposes: to provide input to Government thinking on transposition of the Water Framework Directive; raise issues of concern to the group relating to implementation of the WFD; and provide input into development of a long-term strategy for water.
	In addition, Defra set up an interactive electronic stakeholder forum a year ago, with the aim of capturing a wider range of stakeholder views about the water environment. Ideas from this forum were directly reflected in our document on future priorities for water policy, "Directing the Flow", published last month.
	Beyond that, Defra has played an active role in a wide range of stakeholder conferences and seminars organised by other organisations, where stakeholders have got together to discuss specific aspects of water policy, in many of which the Water Framework Directive was a prominent issue.
	Defra officials and Ministers have also had a large number of bilateral meetings with stakeholders on water policy issues.
	Finally, the Government regulatory agencies (Environment Agency, English Nature, Ofwat) have had a large number of meetings themselves with stakeholders on water policy and the Water Framework Directive.

Fallen Stock

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much fallen stock by (a) species, (b) region and (c) month was rendered in each year since 1997.

Elliot Morley: We do not have figures for the amount of fallen stock that has been rendered in the UK. This information is available only at disproportionate cost.

Fallen Stock

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what estimate she has made of the amount of fallen stock in terms of (a) weight and (b) species in the UK in each of the last 12 months;
	(2)  what the average cost was for rendering fallen stock in the last year for which figures are available.

Elliot Morley: Information regarding the amount of fallen stock for each of the last 12 months is not available. However, the industry has estimated that something in the order of, at least, 200,000 tonnes of fallen stock will need to be collected annually, when the ban on burial of fallen stock is implemented from 30 April this year.
	The estimated tonnage is be made up of the following:
	1,316,000 adult animal carcases (bovine, ovine, swine and equine)
	2,262,000 immature animal carcases (bovine, ovine, swine and equine)
	36,000,000 poultry carcases (avians).
	In arriving at this figure, assumptions have been made about mortality rates for adult and immature animals and their average weight.
	The United Kingdom Renderers Association estimate that the average cost for rendering fallen stock is in the order of £40–50 per tonne. In arriving at this figure, assumptions have been made to take account of seasonal variations and regional differences.

Fisheries

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many British fishery officers have been sent during 2002 to those Baltic States which are due to accede to the European Union in 2004; and what the purpose was of sending them.

Elliot Morley: Three British Sea Fishery Officers from Defra visited Poland in 2002 to advise and train Polish inspectors on the enforcement of EU fisheries legislation.

Flooding

Adrian Flook: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on progress with its flood defence scheme at Hillfarrance, near Taunton.

Elliot Morley: Operational responsibility for flood management measures rests with the local operating authorities, normally the Environment Agency (EA) and local councils, who decide which projects to promote and their timing.
	Defra is considering the EA's application for grant on its proposed flood alleviation scheme for Hillfarrance against the normal technical, economic and environmental criteria and priority score arrangements. However a final decision on grant aid cannot be taken until an application for planning permission has been considered by Taunton Deane Borough Council. Subject to this being in place, I understand the EA plan to start work in April 2003.

Flooding

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to provide additional funding for flood defences.

Elliot Morley: The Government are committed to maintenance and improvement of flood and coastal defences, including those to reduce the risk of coastal erosion as well as flooding, and has planned for spending of nearly £1.5 billion over the next three years:
	
		£ million 
		
			  2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 
		
		
			 Defra(4) 131 134 137 182 
			 ODPM(5) 280 295 332 382 
			 Total 411 429 469 564 
		
	
	(4) For capital projects, Environment Agency national initiatives such as National Flood and Coastal Defence Database and Catchment Flood Management Plans, Storm Tide Forecasting Service etc.
	(5) Funding from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister to local authorities to support their levies to the Environment Agency and internal drainage boards and their own spend on flood and coastal defence.

Flooding

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she expects the Environment Agency's flood warning service to be available to all people whose homes or businesses have been designated as at risk of flooding.

Margaret Beckett: The Environment Agency has made a commitment in its Corporate Strategy to increase the coverage of its flood warning services to 77 per cent. of properties in flood risk areas by 2007. This will rise to 80 per cent. by the year 2009–10.

Flooding

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of the population designated as at risk of flooding will be covered by the Environment Agency's warning service by (a) 1 April 2003, (b) 1 April 2004, (c) 1 April 2005 and (d) 1 April 2006.

Margaret Beckett: The Environment Agency warns people of flooding by at least two means. These usually are a direct warning using the EA's automatic voice messaging (AVM) system and local radio announcements when flood warnings are issued. The warnings are also posted on the EA's website. As part of the EA's flood awareness campaign, each householder in a flood risk area receives an annual mailing advising them what to do during a flood. The EA plans to increase coverage of direct warnings to each household as follows:
	(a) April 2003 70 per cent. of households
	(b) April 2004 73 per cent. of households
	(c) April 2005 75 per cent. of households
	(d) April 2006 76 per cent. of households

Flooding

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what criteria are used by the Government to determine whether a property is designated as at risk of flooding.

Margaret Beckett: A property is designated as at risk from flooding from main rivers and the sea if it appears within the area shown at risk on the Environment Agency's Indicative Flood Maps (which are available on the internet). These maps show the best available information on flood risk. An extreme flood outline representing the 0.1 per cent. probability of flooding in any year is under development and will be published later in 2003.

Flooding

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she plans to introduce a 0.5 per cent.standard for flood defences; and what estimate she has made of the cost to public funds of adapating a 0.5 per cent.standard for flood protection.

Margaret Beckett: There are no plans to introduce a common 0.5 per cent, or other common standard and no national estimate of the costs of such a standard have beenmade. There could be as many as 10,000 separate flood risk areas in England covering a very wide variety of land uses from low grade agricultural land to major industrial sites. It would not be feasible or desirable to apply the same standards to all these areas. The exclusion of flood water from some areas, particularly from some agricultural and amenity land would significantly increase the flooding problems to be addressed elsewhere.
	The Department does provide indicative standards, linked to guidance on project appraisal, which are designed to ensure that suitable standards for the relevant land use are adopted where it is technically feasible and economically worthwhile to do so.

Flooding

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the progress made by the Environment Agency towards developing flood risk categories.

Margaret Beckett: The Environment Agency has developed a method for categorising flood risk for the prioritisation and delivery of the flood warning service and it has been implemented throughout England and Wales.

Flooding

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress has been made by the Environment Agency to identify private flood and coastal defences.

Margaret Beckett: The Environment Agency have identified all private flood defences on main river as well as all private sea defences.

Flooding

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what reports she has received from the Environment Agency about progress made in developing the National Flood and Coastal Defence Database.

Margaret Beckett: Defra officials have been kept fully informed by the Environment Agency about the progress of this development and receive regular reports on the project.

Fuel Poverty

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of those defined as being in fuel poverty in 2001 have carried out DIY insulation measures to improve the energy efficiency of their homes.

Elliot Morley: The information requested is not available. However, general information regarding the number of properties where improvements have been carried out will be available from the English House Condition Survey 2001, which is the responsibility of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.

Livestock Movements

Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations she has received from the NFU regarding the 20-day standstill movement restrictions.

Elliot Morley: The NFU and other industry organisations have made a number of representations about the 20 day standstill. Ministers and officials regularly meet industry representatives, including the NFU President and his officers, to discuss this and other matters.

Livestock Movements

Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment she has made of the impact of the 20-day standstill period on British agriculture.

Elliot Morley: A detailed risk assessment and cost-benefit analysis into the 20-day standstill is currently being carried out in line with the FMD Inquiry recommendations. The emerging findings will inform the decision about the shape of the movement rules for spring which we hope to announce very soon.

Packaging Waste Recycling Targets

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  when she intends to consult on the UK's 2004 packaging waste recycling targets;
	(2)  what preliminary assessment she has made of the likely packaging waste recycling targets required for 2004 to enable the UK to comply with the most likely minimum targets expected to be set;
	(3)  when she intends to announce the UK packaging waste recovery targets (a) for 2004 and (b) for 2005.

Michael Meacher: I expect the Advisory Committee on Packaging (ACP) to provide the Government with advice on their views on the possible targets in the UK between 2004 and 2008. I know that an ACP Task Force is currently looking at future targets, including targets for 2004. We are aiming to consult on a number of packaging issues this year, including targets for the period 2004–08. We would propose to announce the targets as early as possible, with a view to providing long-term targets to aid stability in the PRN market and future investment, but this will have to await the outcome of our consultation exercise.

Press Releases

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many press releases have been issued by her Department in each (a) year and (b) quarter from 1995–96 to 2002–03; and if she will make a statement.

Alun Michael: Defra was created in June 2001. All press releases are available on the Defra website (www.defra.gov.uk). Numbers issued are as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 2001  
			 June-end September (6)159 
			 October-end December 163 
			 Total 322 
			   
			 2002  
			 January-end March 127 
			 April-end June 129 
			 July-end September 134 
			 October-end December 148 
			 Total 538 
		
	
	(6) First Defra release issued 14 June
	Retrospective identification and enumeration of the press releases issued prior to June 2001, by the Home Office, the former DETR and MAFF press offices on policy subjects now covered by Defra would be available only at disproportionate cost.

Rodent Survey

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she expects to receive the results of the rodent survey element of the 2001 English House Condition Survey.

Elliot Morley: The English House Condition Survey conducted by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister collects data on behalf of this Department about the incidence of rodents. We expect to receive the information from the 2001 survey in February. A report on the analysis of the data will be published in due course.

Sea Pollution

Colin Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what international discussions are taking place to control the threat of pollution at sea.

Michael Meacher: holding answer 21 January 2003
	Marine pollution comes from a variety of sources and the UK is active in a wide range of international fora to tackle and prevent marine pollution.
	For example, we are a contracting party to the OSPAR Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North East Atlantic and the London Convention for the Prevention of Marine Pollution from Dumping. We are also working closely with the European Union to tackle marine pollution and better protect our seas.
	In addition, we are working through the United Nations Environment Programme's Washington Global Programme of Action to tackle marine pollution from land-based sources. The UK also plays a lead role in the International Maritime Organisation to address issues of ship safety and pollution from ships.

Sheep (EU Regulations)

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which Ministers and officials attended the January Council of Ministers meeting on the EU Draft Regulations on the double-tagging of sheep.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 20 January 2003
	This month's Agriculture and Fisheries Council is scheduled to take place on 27–28 January. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is expected to head the UK delegation. My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary and I plan to accompany her. The Minister for Environment and Rural Development in the Scottish Executive and the Deputy First Minister and Minister for Rural Development and Wales Abroad in the Welsh Assembly Government, plan to attend together with the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. We will be supported by a number of officials, including the Director General responsible for Farming, Food and Fisheries.

Sickness Absence

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many working days have been lost due to illness in her Department in (a) 2002 and (b) each of the preceding five years.

Alun Michael: Records are not yet available for the number of days lost due to sickness absence in 2002, but these will be announced in due course. Sickness absence figures for previous years are published in the Cabinet Office annual report "Analysis of Sickness Absence in the Civil Service", copies of which are placed in the Library of the House.
	Defra was created in June 2001. The figure for that year, shown as an average per staff year, relates to parts of the former DETR and the former MAFF and its agencies.
	2001—7.2 days
	The Department is committed to the effective management of sickness absence, and to meeting its Service Delivery Agreement target of reducing sickness absence to 6.9 days for 2003.

TB Research

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on what funding was made available in the last financial year for TB research in the areas of (a) finding a cattle vaccine, (b) finding a badger vaccine and (c) providing a comprehensive cattle test for TB.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 20 January 2003
	Defra spent the following amounts on developing TB vaccines and diagnostic tests (including pathogenesis studies) for cattle and badgers in 2001–02 and 2002–03:
	
		£ 
		
			  Cost per year  
			 Subject 2001–02 2002–03 Total 
		
		
			 Diagnostics for TB 1,133,726 2,035,792 3,169,518 
			 Badger Vaccines 617,948 1,037,729 1,655,677 
			 Cattle Vaccines 923,734 1,037,729 1,961,463 
			 Total 2,675,408 4,111,250 6,786,658 
		
	
	A sub-group of the Independent Scientific Group on cattle TB is conducting a scoping study into the feasibility of animal TB vaccines, and is due to report shortly.

TB Research

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on what funding is available for consequential loss for TB breakdowns for those farmers who are part of the Woodchester Park Project area of Gloucestershire.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 20 January 2003
	Defra has made special arrangements with farmers in the Woodchester Park study area to pay fair compensation for consequential losses associated with cattle TB breakdowns in the project area. Funding is paid from the TB research programme.

Village Halls

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the impact on village halls of regulations introduced since 1997.

Alun Michael: No such specific assessment has been made. However, all proposals for regulation which have an impact on businesses, charities or voluntary bodies must be accompanied by a regulatory impact assessment. The necessary checks and balances required under the system ensure that regulation is necessary and proportionate and the risks, options, benefits and costs are fully explored.
	I am aware from correspondence that concerns have been expressed in particular about the impact on village halls of the "Disability Discrimination (Providers of Services) (Adjustment of Premises) Regulations 2001". However the Disability Discrimination Act requires service providers to do only what is reasonable in all the circumstances, and there is no question of unreasonable costs being imposed.
	I have recently discussed concerns expressed about the prospective impact on village halls of the Licensing Bill currently before Parliament with the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (Dr Howells).

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Convention on the Future of Europe

David Heathcoat-Amory: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his policy is on the recommendation of Working Group " of the Convention on the Future of Europe that qualified majority vote should apply to minimum rules for cross-border crimes and crimes against a common policy of the EU.

Denis MacShane: The Government support extending QMV where we believe it is in the national interest to do so. We are considering this proposal in that light. In doing so, we shall also take into account the scope of the competence to be given to the EU in this area when draft Treaty provisions are tabled as part of the Convention process.

Capita Group

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the contracts that have been awarded to the Capita Group by his Department.

Bill Rammell: The FCO has two current contracts with Capita both covering staff recruitment services. Over their lifetime the total value of these contracts will be in the region of £1.87 million.

Civil Servants

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many civil servants have been employed by (a) his Department and (b) each of its agencies and non-departmental bodies in each year from 1994–95 to 2002–03; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: The number of civil servants employed by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and its agency from 1994 to 2003 is listed below. No civil servants are employed by non-departmental bodies. Board members of non-departmental bodies are paid expenses only.
	
		Number of civil servants employed by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and its agency from 1994 to 2003
		
			 All staff in post figures correct on 1 April FCO Wilton Park 
		
		
			 1994(7) N/A(8) N/A 
			 1995(7) 5,984 30 
			 1996(7) 5,787 28 
			 1997(7) 5,539 35 
			 1998 5,412 37 
			 1999 5,485 48 
			 2000 5,480 50 
			 2001 5,490 60 
			 2002 5,680 60 
		
	
	(7) Excluding ODA.
	(8) The master data file for 1994 is corrupted and is being rebuilt.

Cricket World Cup

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  when (a) he and (b) Ministers and officials in his Department first told the England Cricket Board that in the Government's view it would be better if the England cricket team should not go to Zimbabwe;
	(2)  on what dates and in what form, in addition to the oral statement by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in Westminster Hall on 17 December 2002, Official Report, column 191WH, (a) he and (b) Ministers in his Department have publicly expressed the Government's view that it would be best if the England cricket team should not go to Zimbabwe.

Jack Straw: FCO officials told representatives of the England and Wales Cricket Board in July 2002 that Ministers might find it difficult to accept that England should play in Zimbabwe, while stressing that this was a decision for the cricket authorities.
	On 16 December 2002, the International Cricket Council's security mission to Zimbabwe recommended that the matches scheduled for Zimbabwe should go ahead. In a Westminster Hall debate the following day, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Mike O'Brien, said that in his personal opinion it would be better if the England team did not go to Zimbabwe.
	A statement issued by the FCO on 29 December 2002 reaffirmed that while it was not for the Government to tell the cricket authorities what to do, it was the Foreign Secretary's personal view that it would be better if England did not go. Ministers have repeatedly underlined this message since then.

Democracy (Arab States)

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to promote democracy in the Arab world.

Mike O'Brien: We promote democracy and good governance in the Arab world through dialogue with government and civil society, based on equality and respect, in particular for the Islamic principle of consultation (shura). Together with EU partners, we have supported initiatives designed to promote dialogue with Arab countries on human rights and civil society issues.

Entente Cordiale

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the French Government concerning appropriate celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Entente Cordiale; and if he will make a statement.

Denis MacShane: There is close bilateral co-operation at official level about the Entente Cordiale centenary celebrations in 2004. Both countries are committed to ensuring that the centenary is a success.

Fair Trade

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what fair trade criteria he sets when deciding upon what suppliers to use.

Bill Rammell: FCO purchasing policy is in accordance with the Government's Public Purchasing Consolidated Guidelines, which require the procurement of goods and services to be based on value for money and acquired by competition unless there are convincing reasons to the contrary.
	Fair trade products are widely available in our offices. For example almost all tea and coffee provided for official meetings is fair trade and our canteens and restaurants sell fair trade products including coffee, tea, chocolate and muesli bars.

Human Rights

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the United States administration on the guidance given in the publication, "A Human Rights Approach to Prison Management—Handbook for Prison Staff", in respect of United Kingdom citizens held by the United States in the prison at Guantanamo Bay.

Mike O'Brien: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not specifically discussed the publication "A Human Rights Approach to Prison Management—Handbook for Prison Staff" in the context of Guantanamo with the United States Administration. We have however discussed the welfare and treatment of British detainees held at Guantanamo Bay with the US authorities.

Human Rights

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the United Kingdom representatives at the United Nations regarding human rights surveillance by the United Nations in Colombia.

Bill Rammell: During my visit to New York from 2–3 December I had detailed discussions with UK and UN officials about the work of the UN Human Rights Office in Bogota.

Human Rights

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Colombia regarding (a) abuses of human rights and (b) persecution of human rights workers.

Bill Rammell: My hon. Friend the Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office raised these concerns at the highest level during his visit to Colombia in October. We maintain a regular dialogue with the Colombian Government and make our concerns on these issues clear.

Human Rights

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what discussions he has had with the United States regarding abuse of human rights in Colombia;
	(2)  what discussions he has had with the United States regarding (a) Plan Colombia and (b) other aid packages to Colombia.

Bill Rammell: We have regular discussions with the US Administration about developments in Colombia, including the peace process, the human rights situation, and the EU aid package. The EU also has a dialogue with the US on these issues. Neither the EU nor the UK are involved in Plan Colombia.

Iraq

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which of the sites listed in the Government's dossier on Iraq and weapons of mass destruction published on 24 September 2002 have been visited by inspectors from the United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission; and whether anything of significance was found at such locations.

Mike O'Brien: We understand from published information from UNMOVIC and the IAEA inspectors have visited all of the sites identified in the UK dossier. They have not reported uncovering any signs of weapons of mass destruction, or programmes for their production at the sites. Given that there had been considerable advance publicity about these sites, it is not entirely surprising that the inspectors failed to uncover any evidence of WMD programme at the sites. Compliance with the terms of UN Security Council Resolution 1441 must be more than simply allowing access to UN weapons inspectors. There must be full co-operation with the inspectors and complete openness about activities at all sites visited, as the Resolution requires.

Iraq

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the UN weapons inspectors have visited (a) the Castor Oil Production plant at Fallujah in Iraq, (b) the al-Dawrah Foot and Mouth Disease Vaccine Institute and (c) the Amariyah Sera and Vaccine Plant at Abu Ghraib in the pursuit of their duties under UN Resolution 1441.

Mike O'Brien: holding answer 16 January 2003
	Information as published by UNMOVIC and the IAEA indicates that all three sites have been visited by the UN weapons inspectors. Further information is available from their internet websites www.un.org/depts/unmovic and www.iaea.org/worldatom.

Iraq

Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with representatives of the Northern Iraqi Kurdish people on the situation in Iraq.

Mike O'Brien: Ministers and officials regularly meet representatives of the northern Iraq Kurdish administration as well as other Iraqi oppositionists. Most recently, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister met Massoud Barzani and Jalal Talabani, leaders of the Kurdistan Democratic Party and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan respectively, in December 2002.

Iraq

Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Government of Syria on relations with Iraq.

Mike O'Brien: Iraq was one of the issues covered in a meeting the Secretary of State and I had with the Syrian Foreign Minister, Farouk Al-Shara'a, in London on 16 December. Earlier that day the Prime Minister also discussed the issue with Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad.

Iraq

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which countries in the Middle East have made requests to the United Kingdom Government to take military action against Iraq on their behalf or with their support; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: As the Government have repeatedly made clear, no decision to launch military action against Iraq has been taken, and military action is not inevitable. Our policy is to ensure that Iraq complies with its obligations under relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions.

Israeli Embassy Bombing

Rob Marris: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what relevant warnings from the Israeli Embassy in London were received by his Department in the month before 26 July 1994; and whether the warnings were passed by his Department to the courts which subsequently convicted Jawad Botmeh and Samar Alami.

Mike O'Brien: The Israeli Embassy made a representation for extra security to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 18 July 1994. I am assured that these were forwarded to the Diplomatic Protection Group, who are responsible for Embassy security, for action. I understand that the trial court and the Court of Appeal were aware of these facts.

Israeli Embassy Bombing

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if his Department's Ministers have signed PII certificates in relation to the bombings of the Israeli Embassy and Balfour House on 26 July 1994.

Mike O'Brien: At the time of the trial in 1996, the then Foreign Secretary, Malcolm Rifkind, signed a PII certificate in relation to the bombings of the Israeli Embassy and Balfour House.

Khmer Rouge

Gary Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how the UK ambassador to the UN voted in relation to the setting up of a tribunal to try former Khmer Rouge leaders; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: We support a UN-supported tribunal to bring to justice those Khmer Rouge leaders most responsible for the atrocities committed during their regime (1975–79). The UK abstained in a vote on the Khmer Rouge Tribunal Resolution at the 2002 General Assembly because of our concerns that Cambodia's commitment to the process appeared in doubt when it failed to co-sponsor the Resolution; and the UN Secretary General had expressed reservations on the Resolution's implementation. These concerns were shared by a number of other states who also abstained. However, we welcome the recent resumption of talks between Cambodian and United Nations negotiators in New York and remain prepared to offer advice and financial support for a UN-supported tribunal.

Mozambique

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many claims for property appropriated without compensation by the Mozambique Government since 1975 have been lodged with his Department; how many such claims have been settled; and what steps are being taken to secure the settlement of those claims still outstanding.

Mike O'Brien: 101 claims have been lodged with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) for property appropriated without compensation by the Mozambique Government since 1975. None of these have been settled. The FCO has made many ministerial and diplomatic representations over the years to the Mozambique authorities about the expropriated properties and we will continue to look for opportunities to do so.

Pakistan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what recent discussions he has had with the Pakistani authorities on its blasphemy laws;
	(2)  if he will make a statement on the situation of Christians in Pakistan.

Mike O'Brien: We are concerned about any human rights violations in Pakistan. We have serious concerns about the situation of Christians, particularly because of the many attacks against them in the past year and the misuse of the blasphemy laws. We remain deeply concerned that the death penalty can be imposed for blasphemy. The UK opposes the death penalty in all circumstances. On 15 July 2002 I raised our concerns directly with the Pakistani high commissioner in London. Together with our EU partners, we also regularly raise our concerns with the Pakistani authorities in Islamabad. We will continue to take every appropriate opportunity to urge Pakistan to pursue laws and practices which foster tolerance and mutual respect and to protect Christians and other religious minorities against discrimination, intimidation and attacks.

Paper Supplies

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs who the suppliers are of his Department's (a) paper and (b) paper products.

Bill Rammell: The FCO has two corporate contracts for its paper requirement. The first with Dixon and Roe for recycled copier paper and second with Premier Paper for higher-grade stationery paper. Other paper products (such as index cards, diaries, planners and post-it notes) are supplied in the main by Banner Supplies Limited (BSL). This company was awarded the supply contract following an EC competitive procurement tender run jointly by the FCO and MOD. On the very rare occasions when BSL are unable to meet our needs then local sources of supply are used.

Press Releases

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many press releases have been issued by his Department in each (a) year and (b) quarter from 1995–96 to 2002–03; and if he will make a statement.

Jack Straw: Our records of the number of Foreign and Commonwealth Office press releases issued extend back only as far as May 1997. For the figures since May 1997, 1 refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave to the hon. Member for Tayside North (Pete Wishart) on 12 June 2002, Official Report, columns 1269–70W.
	During 2002 the Foreign and Commonwealth Office issued 637 press releases and has issued 25 since 1 January 2003.

Nigeria

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Nigerian authorities on the subject of religious conflict.

Mike O'Brien: We remain in close touch with the Nigerian authorities on this issue. Officials from the British high commission in Abuja regularly visit the northern states where the majority of religious violence takes place and raise the matter of violence with the governors of the states concerned. In July last year, a British Government team specialising in conflict prevention visited Plateau state to inquire into the causes of violence there and discuss how the British Government might help in preventing further disturbances. The team convened a round-table discussion attended by both Christians and Muslims. We are also supporting the efforts of Coventry Cathedral's Centre for Peace and Reconciliation, who have been trying to build trust between the religious communities in Kaduna over the last year. We will continue to monitor the situation closely.

Nigeria

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the authorities in Gujarat, India on the subject of violence against Christians.

Mike O'Brien: We have had no discussions with the authorities in Gujarat at ministerial level. Officials have been in contact with the police authorities in Gujarat about the situation there. However, Ministers and officials have raised our concerns with the Government of India on a number of occasions since the violence began in February last year, although not specifically regarding violence against Christians. Most recently, I discussed Gujarat with Mr. I D Swami, the Indian Minister of State for Home Affairs, on 17 October 2002.
	We remain very concerned about the welfare of many in Gujarat and continue to urge India to bring to justice the perpetrators of the violence.

Western Sahara

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects to receive the UN Secretary General's proposals on the putative referendum on the future of the Western Sahara; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: From 14 to 17 January 2003, James Baker, the United Nations Secretary General's Personal Envoy, was engaged in a series of meetings with the parties concerned, discussing ideas to resolve the dispute over Western Sahara. Once he has had the opportunity to consider the response of the parties he will make his proposals public.

Western Sahara

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made concerning the referendum on the future of Western Sahara to (a) the Government of Morocco and (b) the United Nations.

Mike O'Brien: I discussed the future of Western Sahara with Mohammed Benaissa, the Moroccan Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, in November 2002.
	Officials maintain regular contact with the United Nations Secretariat country delegations on this subject. It is discussed annually during the General Assembly and more regularly by the Security Council.

Zimbabwe

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of whether Robert Mugabe and his government are guilty of genocide.

Bill Rammell: It is unclear whether Mugabe could be considered to have committed genocide.
	Much of the intimidation, political violence and withholding of food is directed against the opposition, the Movement for Democratic Change, and the areas where it has support.
	Genocide has to be committed against a "national, ethnic, racial or religious group".

Zimbabwe

Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the political situation in Zimbabwe.

Bill Rammell: The political, economic and humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate, with recent food riots and the alleged assault of two MDC MPs in police custody.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Theft/Fraud

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much money has been lost by her Department and its agencies and non-departmental public bodies through (a) fraud and (b) theft for each year since 1996–97.

Kim Howells: All thefts and frauds are reported for each financial year to the Treasury. Details are no longer available for the period prior to 1998.
	(a) There have been no reported instances of fraud.
	(b) in 1998 a lap top computer was stolen, estimated value £1,350 and in 2001 computer hardware to a value of £1,823 was lost to theft. In 2002 computer hardware to a value of £3,200 was lost to theft. Non-departmental bodies report direct to the Treasury and details are not held by the Department.

Theft/Fraud

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what her estimate is of the cost of theft and fraud to (a) her Department, (b) its agencies and (c) non-departmental public bodies in 2002.

Kim Howells: All thefts and frauds are reported for each financial year to the Treasury. In 2002 known losses through theft or fraud have been (a) £3,200 (theft of computer equipment) (b) £2,800 (thefts). Information for non-departmental public bodies is not held centrally.

Performance-enhancing Drugs

Mr. Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many tests for erythropoietin and human growth hormones she expects to be conducted by UK Sport in each of the next three years; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: The introduction to sport of testing for the detection of blood plasma expanders such as erythropoietin (EPO) is quite recent. The testing protocols are still being assessed to ensure that they are effective and at present there is not full agreement about the most appropriate testing regime for EPO. However, UK Sport, the national anti-doping organisation, is proposing to include EPO testing at several major events in the UK (both at and prior to the event) over the next 12 months. Previously, UK Sport has undertaken testing for EPO at the 2001 World Half Marathon, the 2002 London Marathon and the Commonwealth Games. UK Sport will continue to monitor the development of an agreed testing procedure.
	As part of the 2002 Spending Review this government has allocated additional funds to UK Sport, which amounts to £1.5 million in 2004–05 and £3.2 million in 2005–06. Once testing protocols for EPO are agreed, this increase in funding will enable UK Sport to make a full assessment of the needs for this type of testing, to plan the delivery of testing in those sports that are at greatest risk from EPO abuse and to introduce EPO testing to the UK's on-going anti-doping programme.
	There is no approved test for human growth hormones at present. However, UK Sport is regularly in touch with the leading experts on these substances who are based in the UK. Once a test is approved, UK Sport will be able to assess the need and the resources required to introduce human growth hormone testing to the UK's anti-doping programme.

Sickness Absence

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many working days have been lost in her Department and due to illness in each year since 1997–98.

Kim Howells: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Members for Buckingham (Mr. Bercow) and Ribble Valley (Mr. Evans) on 16 January 2003, Official Report, column 714W.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Assault Sentences

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average sentence for assaulting a shop worker was in the last two years.

Hilary Benn: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Drugs

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of the departmental budget allocated in this financial year for tackling drug crime will be spent on (a) staff and (b) associated staff costs; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: All expenditure on tackling drugs contributes to the fight against drug crime.
	Of the departmental expenditure specifically targeted on delivering the Drug Strategy, some 13 per cent. will be spent on staffing and associated costs in the current financial year.

Drugs

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his estimate is of the numbers and percentage of prisoners who will be participating in drug treatment programmes in each of the next 10 years.

Hilary Benn: The Prison Service is committed to delivering the following Key Performance Targets by March 2004:
	5,700 prisoners to enter a rehabilitation programme or therapeutic community annually;
	27,000 prisoners to enter Detoxification annually;
	25,000 initial Counselling, Assessment, Referral, Advice and Throughcare (CARATs) assessments to be undertaken annually; and
	to maintain 28,000 prisoners on voluntary testing compacts.
	The Government's recent Spending Review 2002 makes provision to boost treatment in prisons and revised targets are now being negotiated taking into account additional funds. These will define delivery until March 2006. It is, however, too soon to confirm what these revisions will be.

Drugs

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what budget has been allocated for the education campaign due to be launched this spring on drug misuse; what assessment will take place of the effectiveness of the campaign; who will carry out the assessment; when the results will be published; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: The campaign is jointly funded by the Home Office and the Department for Health. £3 million has been allocated in this year and a similar level of funding is anticipated over the following three years. The campaign will be fully evaluated, including a quantitative tracking survey which will be supplemented by qualitative surveys as appropriate. The evaluation contract is being commissioned through COI (Central Office of Information), the Government's communications agency, and we anticipate appointing a research agency in the near future. The tracking survey results will be placed in the Library when they become available.

Under-age Drinking

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on under-age drinking.

Bob Ainsworth: A number of legislative measures are in place to help tackle under-age drinking. The Licensing (Young Persons) Act 2000 made it an offence for any person to sell alcohol to a person under 18 on licensed premises, or knowingly to allow another person to do so. It also created the offence of buying, or attempting to buy, alcohol on licensed premises on behalf of a person under 18. Measures in the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 provided the police and local authorities with increased powers to tackle under-age drinking, including for example, measures to make it easier for local authorities to designate areas where restrictions on anti-social drinking will apply. It also created a positive duty on licensees and their staff not to sell alcohol to under 18s.
	The Licensing Bill currently in the House of Lords contains proposals to amend the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 to reinstate the police power to confiscate sealed containers (in addition to opened containers) from young people in public places, where a police officer reasonably believes that the young person is, or has been, or intends to, consume the alcohol in a public place.
	In addition, the Home Office, together with other Departments, are working with the Prime Minister's Strategy Unit on their study into tackling the harm associated with alcohol misuse. This has involved a public consultation, run jointly with the Department of Health. The project will pay particular attention to issues such as alcohol-related crime and anti-social behaviour, problems faced by vulnerable groups such as children and what works best in tackling the problems of alcohol misuse.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Aerospace Industry

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry for what purpose capital spending on aerospace programmes for financial year 2003–04 set out in Annex A, table 3 of his departmental report, Cm 5416 is intended; and if she will make a statement.

Alan Johnson: The capital spending on aerospace programmes, recorded in the departmental report (CM 5416), relates to the net capital requirement anticipated at the time the report was published taking account of the payments and receipts under the Government's portfolio of Launch Investment contracts. Through Launch Investment partnerships the Government support the design and development of civil aerospace projects in the UK.

Appointments

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry who have been members of the Ethnic Minority Business Advisory Forum since its inception; what (a) expenses and (b) salary each received; and if she will make a statement.

Nigel Griffiths: Current members of the Ethnic Minority Business Forum (EMBF) are as follows:
	
		Current members of the EMBF
		
			  
		
		
			 Ms Yvonne Thompson(9) Ms Maxine James Mr. Leslie Fairclough 
			 Mrs. Jaswin MacDonald Ms Adeeba Malik Mr. Michael Davis-Bingham 
			 Mr. Tony Sealey Sir Gulam Noon MBE Mr. Numan Azmi 
			 Mr. Kam Kothia Professor Monder Ram Miss Mai Sim Lei 
			 Mr. Niyazi Enver Mr. Askar Sheibani Mrs. Rita Patel 
			 Dr. Haider Imam Mr. Mohammed Isap Councillor Mohammed Afzal Khan 
		
	
	(9) Chair
	Previous members who have served on the EMBF since it was set up in 2002 but who are no longer members are as follows:
	
		Previous members of the EMBF
		
			  
		
		
			 Ms Jennifer Craig Mr. Pravin Kapadia 
			 Mr. Mohammed Nazir Mr. Jeffery Yap 
			 Mr. Clyde Williams Mrs. Sukvinder Studds 
			 Lord Amir Bhatia OBE — 
		
	
	Members are unpaid but are reimbursed for travel and subsistence, according to the rates applicable to senior civil servants.

Appointments

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry who have been members of the Advisory Committee on Business and the Environment since its inception; what expenses or salary each received; and if she will make a statement.

Brian Wilson: The members of the Advisory Committee on Business and the Environment (ACBE) are appointed for two-year terms jointly by the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry and the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. No members of ACBE have ever received a salary; they are however entitled to claim reimbursement for reasonable travel expenses. Since its inception in May 1991 the members, and their organisations at the time of appointment, have been:
	
		Advisory Committee on Business and the Environment (ACBE)
		
			  
		
		
			 ACBE I, May 1991-May 1993  
			 Sir John A. Collins Shell UK Ltd. 
			 Norman Adsetts OBE Sheffield Insulation Group 
			 Rod Aspinwall Aspinwall & Company Ltd. 
			 John Baker National Power 
			 Anthony Bird OBE The Bird Group of Companies 
			 David Challen J. Henry Schroder Wagg & Co. 
			 Sir Anthony Cleaver IMB UK Ltd. 
			 Peter Costain Costain Group plc 
			 lan Coull J. Sainsbury plc 
			 Sue Green Legal & General Group plc 
			 Christopher Hampson ICI 
			 Sir Christopher Harding BET plc 
			 Peter Heath Cleanaway Ltd. 
			 Nicholas Hood CBE Wessex Water plc 
			 Robert J. Jones British Gas plc 
			 David Lyon Bowater plc 
			 Dorothy Mackenzie Dragon International 
			 Cameron McLatchie OBE British Polythene Industries plc 
			 Nigel Palmer OBE Pittard Garner plc 
			 Dr. Robin C. Paul Albright & Wilson plc 
			 Paul Rink Wolstenholme Rink plc 
			 George Simpson Rover Group 
			 John Spiers Norsk Hydro UK Ltd. 
			 Derek Wanless National Westminster Bank 
			 David Yeomans David Yeomans Associates 
			  ACBE II, November 1993-April 1996 
			 Derek Wanless National Westminster Bank 
			 John Baker National Power 
			 Sir Peter Bonfield CBE British Telecommunications plc 
			 Cedric Brown British Gas plc 
			 Ann Burdus Dawsons International 
			 Rodney Chase British Petroleum plc 
			 Mike Clasper CBE Procter & Gamble Europe 
			 David Davies Johnson Matthey plc 
			 Peter Davies DHL International Ltd. 
			 Dr. Oliver Doubleday Bax Farm 
			 Richard Gamble Royal Insurance plc 
			 Ian Gibson CBE Nissan Motor Manufacturing (UK) Ltd. 
			 Roger Hewitt Roundhay Securities Ltd. 
			 Derek Higgs Prudential Portfolio Managers Ltd. 
			 Ron Huggins Kimberley-Clarke Ltd. 
			 Sir Gordon Jones Yorkshire Water plc 
			 Martin Laing CBE John Laing plc 
			 Robert Lawton Lawton Farms 
			 David Malpas Tesco plc 
			 Jean Parker CBE Vacu-Lug Traction Tyres Ltd. 
			 Dr. Robin C. Paul CBE Albright & Wilson UK Ltd. 
			 George Phillipson Redland Aggregates Ltd. 
			 Sir Anthony Pilkington Pilkington plc 
			 Alan Smith The Boddington Group 
			 John Spiers CBE Norsk Kydro UK Ltd. 
			 Geoff Turnball MBE GT Group 
			  ACBE III, May 1996-September 1999 
			 David Davies Past Chairman and Chief Executive, Johnson Matthey plc 
			 Marcus Beresford GKN plc 
			 Henry Casley Southern Electric plc 
			 Rodney Chase British Petroleum plc 
			 Mike Clasper CBE Procter & Gamble Europe 
			 Vic Cocker Severn Trent Water plc 
			 Dr. Peter Doyle CBE Zeneca Group plc 
			 Anthony Greener Diageo plc 
			 Roy Harrison Tarmac plc 
			 Derek Higgs Prudential Portfolio Managers Ltd. 
			 Stephen Lusty Airmaster Environmental Engineering 
			 Dr. George Matthewson CBE Royal Bank of Scotland plc(10) 
			 Ian McAllister CBE Ford Motor Company Ltd. 
			 Sir Brian Moffat OBE British Steel plc 
			 Stuart Sweetman Post Office Counters 
			 Roger Taylor Sun Alliance 
			 Archie Norman ASDA Group plc(11) 
			 Adrian White Biwater Ltd.(11) 
			   
			  ACBE IV, November 1999-September 2001 
			 Dr. Chris Fay Formerly of Shell UK Ltd. 
			 Gerry Acher KPMG 
			 Dr. Robin Bidwell ERM 
			 Vic Cocker Formerly of Severn Trent 
			 Rodney Chase BP Amoco 
			 Gordon Edge Generics Group 
			 Roy Gardner Centrica 
			 Sheila Hamilton Teknek Electronics 
			 Roy Harrison Formerly of Tarmac 
			 Richard Haythornwaite Blue Circle 
			 Ian McAllister CBE Ford Motor Company Ltd. 
			 Rob Margetts Huntsman Corporation 
			 Dee Razdan Adtranz 
			 Harry Skidmore Easi-bind International 
			 Ian Stephenson Johnson Matthey 
			 Stuart Sweetman Post Office Counters 
			 Tessa Tennant Formerly of Henderson Investors 
			 Dr. Alan Tillotson ARENA Network: Wales Environment Centre 
			   
			  ACBE V, November 2001-September 2003 
			 Dr. Chris Fay OBE Formerly of Shell UK Ltd. 
			 Gerry Acher CBE KPMG 
			 Robin Bidwell CBE ERM 
			 Vic Cocker CBE WRAP 
			 Roy Gardner Centrica plc 
			 Richard Haythornthwaite Invensys 
			 Ian McAllister CBE Ford Motor Company Ltd. 
			 Dee Razdan Bombardier Transportation 
			 Harry Skidmore Easi-Bind International Ltd. 
			 Ian Stephenson Johnson Matthey 
			 Alan Tillotson Chief Executive, ARENA Network 
			 Nick Baldwin Powergen 
			 Tony Bastock OBE Contract Chemicals 
			 Colin Drummond Viridor Ltd. 
			 Linda McGoldrick Marsh-MMC 
			 Chris Mellor Anglian Water plc 
			 Lynne Meredith BAA 
			 Sir Nigel Mobbs Slough Estates plc 
			 Paul Morgan Roseberry Recycling Ltd. 
			 Peter Morgan Baltimore Technologies plc 
			 Prof. Ken Vowles OBE Executive Director International, Scottish Power 
		
	
	(10) Resigned part way through this term.
	(11) Resigned part way through term.

Business Insurance Costs

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent assessment she has made of the impact of insurance costs on the competitiveness of British industry.

Nigel Griffiths: In a recent 'omnibus' survey of SMEs for the Small Business Service, 28 per cent. of the sample said insurance was an issue for them, although only 3 per cent. said it was the greatest obstacle they faced (competition/sales was most frequently cited as the greatest obstacle, by 24 per cent. of firms).
	The Government also announced on 12 December 2002 details of a review of the operation of the Employers Liability Compulsory Insurance system, one of the objectives of which is to
	"Assess the scale and nature of the current difficulties being experienced in relation to ELCI, in particular the extent to which these difficulties are likely to be short-term only, repeated in the future or permanent."

Miners' Compensation (Newton-le-Willows)

Dave Watts: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many miners in Newton-le-Willows have received (a) offers and (b) final offer settlements for their white finger and pneumoconiosis claims.

Brian Wilson: The figures are as follows:
	
		
			  COPD VWF 
		
		
			 Number of full and final offers made 68 50 
			 Number of full and final settlements 34 37 
		
	
	Note:
	Newton-le-Willows was defined using postcode WA12.

Consumer Credit Act

Wayne David: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  what plans she has to amend the Consumer Credit Act 1974;
	(2)  what the scope is of her review of the Consumer Credit Act 1974;
	(3)  when the Government intends to publish its review of the Consumer Credit Act 1974

Melanie Johnson: In July 2001 I announced a review of the Consumer Credit Act 1974. As part of this review I have already published consultations to extend the provisions of the Act by removing the financial limit, to make the terms for early settlement of loans fairer to consumers and to enable agreements to be concluded on line.
	In August 2002 I published a progress report which can be found along with all other publications related to this review on the DTI website. This can be found on: http://www.dti.gov.uk/ccp/topicsl/consumer_finance.htm
	I will be publishing further consultations on reviewing the licensing regime, the provisions on extortionate credit and on simplifying the advertising regulations.

Credit Cards

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will introduce measures to require credit card providers to include a comparative box in their marketing material setting out the key features and costs of the credit cards they provide.

Melanie Johnson: A review of the Consumer Credit Act was announced in July 2001 and as part of this review I will be publishing a consultation on the simplification of the credit advertising regulations.
	In preparation for that, my Department is in regular discussion with the credit industry and consumer bodies on the calculation and advertising of APRs on credit cards, and the provision for other key information.

Debt Management Companies

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  what measures she plans to introduce to ensure good practice among debt management companies;
	(2)  what assessment she has made of the Office of Fair Trade's guidance for debt management companies and the level of protection they offer to consumers.

Melanie Johnson: Companies providing debt management services, whether they charge or not, are required to be licensed under the Consumer Credit Act 1974. Under the Act the Director General of Fair Trading (DGFT) has a duty to ensure applicants for a licence are fit to engage in the activities for which they are licensed.
	In December 2001 the DGFT issued guidelines to debt management companies to ensure they deal fairly and openly with consumers—the Debt Management Guidance (December 2001). A copy of the guidance can be found in the Libraries of the House.
	The guidance requires that companies offering debt management services should comply with the best practice identified in it. Where the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has evidence of practices breaching the guidelines the DGFT can take action to refuse or revoke the consumer credit licence, or take such other action as appropriate under other legislation (e.g. Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations etc).
	I am satisfied that the guidance ensures consumers a good level of protection; and I am looking forward with interest to the results of the Compliance Review which the OFT is currently undertaking.

Electricity Industry

Mr. Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions she has had with Ofgem about modification P95A, P100, P102, P103 and P114 to the Balancing and Settlement Code; and if she will make a statement.

Brian Wilson: The Governance Procedures for the industry Codes are under the locus of the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets, Ofgem, as the independent regulator. I have not had discussions with the authority regarding these modification proposals.
	Modifications P102, P103 and PI14 to the Balancing and Settlement Code (BSC) are currently in the assessment phase. Following the assessment phase, the BSC panel will make a recommendation to the authority on whether the modifications better achieve the BSC objectives. At the BSC Panel meeting on the 16th January 2003, the Panel rejected modification P95A and recommended that modification P100 be made. The authority will now make a final decision on their implementation on the basis of the BSC objectives and their wider statutory obligations.

Post Boxes

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the future of red post boxes in urban areas.

Stephen Timms: These are matters that fall within the day to day responsibility of Royal Mail and I have therefore asked the Chairman to reply direct to the hon. Member.

New Cars

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how she intends to monitor the effect of the new EU block exemption regulations for the sale of motor vehicles that come into force on 1 October 2003.

Melanie Johnson: holding answer 21 January 2003
	The Department is in regular contact with businesses and representatives of the car retailing and servicing sector, and organisations representing the consumer interests, and will be working to ensure that if there is evidence that the new block exemption is being infringed, that evidence is brought to the attention of the relevant enforcement authority.
	The regulation places responsibility on the Commission to monitor its operation on a regular basis, and to report in May 2008. From May 2004, the regulation will also be enforced in the UK by the Office of Fair Trading under the new modernisation of enforcement of European Union Competition rules.

Post Office Card Account

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what consultation took place with the Department for Work and Pensions before the delay imposed on the issue of personal invitation documents for the post office card account.

Stephen Timms: Ministers and officials of the Department of Trade and Industry are working closely with colleagues from the Department for Work and Pensions on all aspects of the migration of benefits and pensions to ACT and the introduction of universal banking services.

Postcodes

Paul Truswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what use her Department and its agencies make of postcode areas for (a) the collection and publication of data, (b) devising formulae for the distribution of grants and awards and (c) the delivery of services; and when such usages were last reviewed.

Patricia Hewitt: This information is not held centrally by the Department and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. I have asked the relevant agencies to respond to my hon. Friend.
	Letter from A. Brimelow to Mr. Paul Truswell
	HOUSE OF COMMONS PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS: 2002/563
	I am replying to your Parliamentary Question 563 tabled on 13 December 2002, about the use made of postcode areas for (a) the collection and publication of data, (b) devising formulae for distribution of grants and awards, (c) the delivery of services; and when such usages were last reviewed.
	The Patent Office publish an annual facts and figures booklet which includes a breakdown of the number of patent, trade mark and design applications filed and granted or registered by region based upon postcode data provided by the applicant. The Patent Office Search and Advisory Service also uses postcode analysis on an ad-hoc basis to answer general Intellectual Property enquiries made under that service. The last review was in 2001.
	We do not distribute grants or awards to our customers.
	Letter from Ms R. J. R. Anderson to Mr. Paul Truswell
	PARLIAMENTARY QUESTION ON THE USE OF POST CODES
	As Chief Executive off the Radiocommunications Agency, I have been requested to reply directly to your question of 13 December 2002 to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry.
	The Radiocommunications Agency does not use post codes for (a) collecting or publicising data, other than for collecting customer addresses; or (b) devising formulae for the distribution of grants or awards. For (c) the delivery of services, the Agency only uses post codes as a customer search aid and for defining which of its national or regional offices has responsibility for particular customers.
	Letter from Dr. R. Heathcote to Mr. Paul Truswell, dated January 2003
	RE: Review and use of postcode information for the data processing, distribution and delivery of services.
	You tabled a Parliamentary Question on 13 December 2002 to Patricia Hewitt, Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, concerning what use was made of post code areas for (a) the collection and publication of data, (b) devising of grants and awards and (c) the delivery of services; and when such usages were last reviewed. I have been asked to reply in respect of the Employment Tribunals Service (ETS), which is an executive agency of the DTI, providing the administrative support for the Employment Tribunals and the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) in Great Britain.
	The ETS does not use postcode areas for the collection and publication of data. The agency's work does not involve devising formulae for the distribution of awards and grants, although the tribunals do make awards of compensation on the cases which they deal with, these are not determined according to postcode.
	Prior to 1996, each office had a regional boundary which was defined, with some exceptions, along county borders. These borders were realigned along postcode area boundaries as a result of the de-centralisation of the applications process. This meant that applications were sent direct to the appropriate office, according to the post code of the place where the applicant either worked or applied to work. Since then, changes to the boundaries between offices have been made to accommodate changing workloads particularly the opening of a new tribunal office at Watford in July 2000, whose regional area was carved out of neighbouring regions by transferring post code areas to it.
	Employment Tribunals in Scotland have retained their centralised system with all applications being sent to the Glasgow office, with cases then being generally assigned to a local office or hearing centre on the basis of the postcode of the applicant's home address. EAT has only two offices (London and Edinburgh) covering England & Wales and Scotland respectively, dealing with appeals split along the border between the two countries, not according to postcodes.
	The agency is presently undertaking a review of the distribution of workloads with regards to the geographical match between the origin of tribunal cases and the present spread of its 33 offices and hearing centre around the country. This review was initiated as a result of a recommendation contained within 'Moving Forward: the report of the Employment Tribunal System Taskforce'. A full copy of the taskforce report can be accessed at www.employmenttribunalsystemtaskforce.gov.uk The work that is currently being done in support of the analysis of postcodes will also consider public transport links to our existing network of offices.
	Letter from D. Flynn to Mr. Paul Truswell, dated 20 January 2003
	The Secretary of State has asked me to respond to your question (2002/563) as to what use The Insolvency Service makes of postcode areas for (a) the collection and publication of data, (b) devising formulae for the distribution of grants and awards and (c) the delivery of services; and when such usages were last reviewed.
	The Insolvency Service has made no use of postcode areas for the collection and publication of data, devising formulae for the distribution of grant and awards or the delivery of services.
	Letter from Dr. J. W. Llewellyn to Mr. Paul Truswell
	The Secretary for Trade and Industry has asked me to reply on behalf of the National Weights and Measures Laboratory (NWML) to your question on what use her Department and its Agencies makes of postcode areas for (a) the collection and publication of data, (b) devising formulae for the distribution of grants and awards and (c) the delivery of services; and when such usages were last reviewed.
	NWML does not use postcodes in any of the ways described.
	Letter from C. Clancy to Mr. Paul Truswell
	I am responding on behalf of Companies House, Executive Agency to your Parliamentary Question on the Department of Trade and Industry's policy on the usage of postal code areas.
	Companies House does not make use of postcodes in the collection and publication of data or in devising formulae for the distribution of grants and awards.
	In the delivery of services, postcodes are used to target invitations for company directors and their professional advisers to attend regionally held seminars on directors' legal responsibilities under the Companies Act. This was last reviewed in February 2002. In the last twelve months they have also been used to target invitations to customers to take part in regionally based focus groups, where they can give face to face feedback on Companies House services and its relations with customers. It will be reviewed in April 2003.

Rural Businesses (Broadband)

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what financial assistance her Department is providing to help small businesses in rural areas access broadband services.

Stephen Timms: I refer the right hon. Member to the reply that I gave him on 9 December 2002, Official Report, column 65W.

Textile Industry

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assistance she is giving to the textile industry in East Lancashire; and if she will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: Since 1997 in East Lancashire the Small Business Service (SBS) have made seven awards totalling £167,000 to textile firms under the Enterprise Grant Scheme. SBS have also established an ethnic apparel support group to help companies market their products and assist with their production capacity. The North West Development Agency is working with North West "TexNet", the Cluster Management Group for the textile industry, to identify further measures to sustain the industry and develop the cluster. NWDA will consider individual projects as they are brought forward and action as necessary.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

A-Levels

Robert Wareing: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many pupils and students sat A-levels in (a) French, (b) German, (c) Spanish and (d) Russian in each year since 1998.

David Miliband: The number of pupils and students who were entered for A-levels in French, German, Spanish and Russian in years 1998 to 2001 are:
	
		
			  Age  
			  17 All ages 
		
		
			 1998   
			 French 17,994 20,622 
			 German 8,088 9,316 
			 Spanish 3,969 5,068 
			 Russian 303 534 
			
			 1999   
			 French 16,163 18,662 
			 German 7,663 8,916 
			 Spanish 4,108 5,233 
			 Russian 293 541 
			
			 2000   
			 French 13,830 16,049 
			 German 6,706 7,930 
			 Spanish 3,933 5,084 
			 Russian 314 538 
			 2001   
			 French 14,149 16,076 
			 German 6,849 7,901 
			 Spanish 4,030 5,046 
			 Russian 285 498

Education Maintenance Allowance

Adrian Flook: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when 16 to 18-year-olds in Somerset will become entitled to Education Maintenance Allowance.

Ivan Lewis: The national Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) scheme will be available from September 2004 across the whole of England.
	In non-pilot areas such as Somerset, the first tranche of students who will be eligible to apply from that date will be those students who complete their compulsory education in the 2003–04 academic year. In existing pilot areas, EMA will continue to be available to all students age 16–19 (and in a small number of cases, age 20) in post-compulsory further education.

Free Nursery Places

Mike Wood: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what progress has been made towards meeting the 2004 target for having free nursery places available to all three year-olds; and for what reason such places are not yet available to all three year-olds.

Maria Eagle: Currently around 70 per cent. of three year-olds are able to access a free, part-time early education place. The 65 most deprived local education authorities already offer a free place to all three year-olds whose parents want one. The remaining authorities are responsible for devising eligibility criteria for the distribution of free places in their area according to social need.
	On 11 December 2002, Charles Clarke announced that all three year-olds will be entitled to receive a free place from April 2004. This is six months earlier than originally planned.
	It has been necessary to increase gradually the number of free early education places available for three year-olds in order to allow authorities time to build up the amount of provision in their areas.

GCSEs

Robert Wareing: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many pupils sat GCSEs in (a) French, (b) German, (c) Spanish and (d) Russian in each year since 1997.

David Miliband: The number of pupils entered for GCSEs in French, German, Spanish and Russian in each of the five years since 1997 is as follows.
	
		
			   Age  
			  15 All ages 
		
		
			 1997   
			 French 299,868 313,013  
			 German 126,170 130,687 
			 Spanish 33,594 40,845 
			 Russian 1,308 1,895 
			
			 1998   
			 French 301,253 312,358 
			 German 125,940 129,674 
			 Spanish 37,987 44,575 
			 Russian 1,167 1,705 
			
			 1999   
			 French 306,061 316,742 
			 German 128,491 132,027 
			 Spanish 38,705 45,113 
			 Russian 1,113 1,655 
			
			 2000   
			 French 308,032 318,889 
			 German 126,176 129,696  
			 Spanish 41,400 47,935 
			 Russian 1,230 1,758 
			
			 2001   
			 French 315,656 326,065  
			 German 129,098 132,178 
			 Spanish 44,692 50,944 
			 Russian 1,225 1,801

IT Equipment

Nick Palmer: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on progress in providing teachers in Broxtowe with a laptop computer with internet access.

Charles Clarke: In May 2002 Nottinghamshire LEA, responsible for Broxtowe, was allocated a total of £867,926 and latest records show the LEA has spent £828,360, purchasing 936 laptop computers. To date LEAs have been given £60 million to purchase laptop computers on behalf of their schools. So far over 60,000 laptops have been purchased.
	I announced on 9 January 2003 a £195 million extension of the Laptops for Teachers initiative to April 2006, making the total amount of funding £300 million. This will result in two thirds of all eligible teachers benefiting from personal access to a laptop computer over the four year period of this initiative. LEAs, including Nottinghamshire will receive a further allocation of Laptops for Teachers funding in May this year.

Leadership Incentive Grant

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the administrative cost of the (a) introduction and (b) implementation of the leadership incentive grants; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: holding answer 20 January 2003
	Our current estimate of costs for administering the Leadership Incentive Grant process this financial year is approximately £400,000 to cover the cost of promoting collaborative working between schools.
	For the next financial year we have provisionally set aside £1 million from the Targeted Improvement Grant to fund local activity in support of national funding of £175 million to schools.

Rights of the Child

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to his answer of 19 December 2002, Official Report, column 976W, when he received a copy of the report on the United Kingdom by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child.

John Denham: The report was published on 4 October 2002, and I received a copy that day. The report was circulated to relevant Whitehall Departments on the same day.

Teachers

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average number of hours worked per week was for (a) teachers, (b) deputy head teachers, (c) head teachers and (d) all teachers in each year since 1997.

David Miliband: holding answer 20 January 2003
	The information is as follows:
	(i) The only year between 1997–2002 for which information is available is 2000.
	
		Average number hours worked per week
		
			 Grade Hours/week 
		
		
			 Heads 59.1  
			 Deputy heads 56.6 
			 Classroom teachers 51.8 
			   
			 All teachers 52.8 
		
	
	Source:
	2000 OME Teacher's Workload Diary Survey
	(ii) On 15 January, Government, employers and school work force unions signed a national Agreement that will raise standards and tackle work load by removing unnecessary bureaucracy and by transferring some of the administrative, clerical and managerial work currently undertaken by teachers to trained support staff, allowing teachers to focus on their core professional responsibilities.
	Schools will be supported by additional resources that will enable them to employ at least 10,000 more teachers and at least 50,000 more support staff during this Parliament.

Teachers

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of the working time of (a) teachers, (b) deputy head teachers, (c) head teachers and (d) all teachers was spent on (i) teaching, (ii) other teaching related tasks and (iii) non-teaching related tasks in each year since 1997.

David Miliband: holding answer 20 January 2003
	The information is as follows:
	(i) The only year between 1997–2002 for which information is available is 2000.
	
		Proportion of time spent on activities by grade as at March 2000 -- Percentage
		
			  Heads Deputy Heads Classroom All Teachers 
		
		
			 Teaching 5 24 34 30 
			 Teaching related activity(12) 17 27 30 28 
			 Non-teaching related activity(13) 78 49 36 42 
			 Total 100 100 100 100 
		
	
	(12) Teaching related activities include time spent for lesson preparation and planning, marking pupils work, writing reports, and reporting to parents and families. It also includes time spent on training.
	(13) Non-Teaching related activities include non-teaching contact, administrative
	work, staff management and other activities.
	Source:
	2000 OME Teacher's Workload Diary Survey
	(ii) On 15 January, Government, employers and school workforce unions signed a national agreement that will raise standards and tackle workload by removing unnecessary bureaucracy and by transferring some of the administrative, clerical and managerial work currently undertaken by teachers to trained support staff, allowing teachers to focus on their core professional responsibilities.
	Schools will be supported by additional resources that will enable them to employ at least 10,000 more teachers and at least 50,000 more support staff during this Parliament.

SCOTLAND

Civil Servants

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many civil servants have been employed by (a) her Department and (b) each of its agencies and non-departmental bodies in each year from 1994–95 to 2002–03; and if she will make a statement.

Helen Liddell: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given today by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Cabinet Office.

Departmental Running Costs

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what the running costs were of the Department in (a) 1997 and (b) the most recent year for which figures are available.

Helen Liddell: The Scotland Office was established in its present form on 1 July 1999.
	Details of the Department's administration costs are set out in the Departmental Reports and Resource Accounts of the Department.

Departmental Staff

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what her estimate is of the number of permanent staff in the Scotland Office in each year from 1999–2000 to 2003–04; if she will give the reasons underlying any change in staff numbers; and if she will make a statement.

Helen Liddell: Details of staff numbers from 1999–2000 to 2003–04 plans are set out in the Scotland Office Departmental Report 2002.
	The Department was established in its current form on 1 July 1999. Since that time the Department has sought to recruit the staff it requires to meet its objectives and to carry out efficiently and effectively the work it is asked to do.

Departmental Staff

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many full time equivalent staff there were at the Scotland Office in each year since 1999–2000.

Helen Liddell: Details of staff numbers since 1999–2000 are set out in the Scotland Office Departmental Report for 2002.

Departmental Staff

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland pursuant to her answer of 19 December 2002, to the hon. Member for Beckenham (Mrs. Lait), Official Report, column 915W, what the Scotland Office's (a) current staffing level and (b) full staffing level is; and when she expects her Department to reach its optimum staffing level.

Helen Liddell: holding answer 16 January 2003
	My Department, which includes the Office of the Advocate General for Scotland, currently has 122 staff in post and we are planning to reach 130 staff during the course of 2003–04. Staffing levels are reviewed annually.

External Consultants

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what the total cost to her Department was of the use of external consultants in 2002.

Helen Liddell: In 2001–02, my Department spent £17,484 on external consultants. Details for the current financial year are not yet available.

Theft/Fraud

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much money has been lost by her Department and its agencies and non-departmental public bodies through (a) fraud and (b) theft in each year since 1996–97.

Helen Liddell: The Scotland Office was established in its present form on 1 July 1999.
	The cost of theft to the department in 1999–2000 was estimated at £2,200. Since then, no cases of theft or fraud have been reported to the department.

Heritage Assets

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what sales of heritage assets and antique assets have been made by her Department since May 1997; if she will list other assets; and if she will estimate the total sales proceeds.

Helen Liddell: The Scotland Office was established in its present form on 1 July 1999. Since that date, the department has not sold any assets.

LORD CHANCELLOR

Adoption and Children Bill

Vera Baird: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, when the new draft court rules to support the Adoption and Children Bill will be made available for consultation.

Rosie Winterton: The Adoption and Children Bill received Royal Assent on 7 November 2002. The Adoption and Children Act was published on 9 December 2002 with explanatory notes following in early January 2003.
	I, and Ministerial colleagues here and in Department of Health, are considering plans for implementation of the Act.
	Full implementation is anticipated by the end of 2004. However, some elements such as the definition of "harm" in relation to domestic violence are expected sooner. We expect to consult on an amendment to the Family Proceedings Rules 1991 (DomesticViolence) this spring.

Annual Report

Norman Lamb: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, how much producing the Lord Chancellor's Department's latest annual report cost; how many copies were printed; how many copies of it were sold at its cover price; to whom copies of the report have been provided free of charge; and how many copies were provided free of charge.

Rosie Winterton: My Department was charged a total of £48,710.50 by The Stationery Office Ltd. (TSO) for publication of our latest annual report. The total number of copies of the report printed, as opposed to those supplied to my Department under the terms of the contract, is a matter of commercial judgment by TSO and not disclosed to us. I understand 362 copies of the report have been sold at the cover price of £23.50. My Department was supplied with a further 1,250 copies under the terms of our contract with TSO. Approximately 1,150 of these were distributed internally (including to our agencies and sister Departments) with the balance being used for promotional purposes. The report is also available to view on my Department's website (www.lcd.gov.uk/deprep0102/index.htm).

Royal Appointments

Margaret Moran: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if she will list the (a) roles and ranks, (b) purpose and (c) cost of royal appointments in (i) the UK and (ii) Bedfordshire.

Tony Blair: I am replying to this question as it relates to matters for which I am responsible.
	The Lord-Lieutenant of a county or metropolitan area is the permanent local representative of The Monarch. The duties of the post include attending on Royalty during official visits to the county, performing certain duties in connection with the armed forces, and making presentations of honours and awards on behalf of The Monarch. Lord-Lieutenants also play an important role in supporting and encouraging voluntary and community activities in their areas. In the shire counties the Lord-Lieutenant has leadership of the local magistracy as Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Justices of the Peace, and in carrying out the duties of the Keeper of the Rolls. There are 47 Lord-Lieutenants in England. The expenditure of Lord-Lieutenants for the financial year 2001–02 was approximately £758,700. The Lord-Lieutenant for Bedfordshire did not submit a claim for 2001–02.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Construction Industry Training Levy

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to equalise the company wage bill threshold level at which the construction industry training levy becomes payable.

Jane Kennedy: The Construction Industry Training Board is funded through a statutory levy which is based on the payroll costs of companies within its scope. Small companies are exempted from the levy. The level of exemption from payment of levy is included in the annual Levy Order, made by the Department on advice from the Board.
	The levy threshold level, which is currently set at £15,000 payroll cost, applies equally to all companies within the scope of the Construction Industry Training Board. The levy threshold in Great Britain, which is set at £61,000, reflects the respective Boards.
	The Department has no plans to alter this threshold, but will continue to review the situation with the CITB when proposals for a Levy Order come forward.

Corporal Punishment

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the Office of Law Reform will complete its analysis of the responses to the public consultation on 'Physical Punishment in the Home–Thinking About the Issues, Looking at the Evidence'.

Ian Pearson: The consultation process, the largest the Office of Law Reform has undertaken, drew a wealth of responses. In all, some 1,700 people expressed their views in one way or another. Analysing these has taken some time, but the Office is now in the later stages of preparing a report on the consultation process containing this analysis.

Exam Results

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of children in (a) Northern Ireland and (b) England achieved A*-C grades at GCSE in all three core subjects in each of the last five years.

Jane Kennedy: The information is as follows:
	(a) Figures for 2001–02 are not yet available.
	The percentages of all 15-year-olds achieving grades A*-C in all three core subjects (English, Mathematics and a Science) were as follows:
	
		
			  Percentage 
		
		
			 1996–97 41 
			 1997–98 39 
			 1998–99 41 
			 1999–2000 42 
			 2000–01 42 
		
	
	(b) The Department for Education and Skills will provide this information.

Killyleagh High School

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the plans for the former Killyleagh High School premises.

Jane Kennedy: I understand that no formal decision has yet been taken on the future use of the former Killyleagh High School premises, although the matter is to be considered shortly by the South Eastern Education and Library Board.

Landfill Directive

David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what financial assistance will be given to district councils to assist with the costs of implementing EC Directive 1999/31 on the landfill of waste.

Angela Smith: Waste Management Plans prepared by district councils in Northern Ireland are a key element of the Government's strategy for implementing EU Directive 1999/31 on landfill of waste. These plans will provide a network of facilities for the segregation, reprocessing and treatment of waste, resulting in its diversion from landfill.
	To facilitate the preparation and implementation of their plans, the Department of the Environment provided district councils with grant aid of £2 million in 2001–02 and £3.6 million in 2002–03. An indicative sum of £6.4 million has been set aside for 2003–04 for this purpose. As a result of the 2002 Spending Review, it is expected that this level of grant aid will at least be maintained up to 2005–06.

Landfill Directive

David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what penalties will be placed on local authorities and site operators who do not comply with the EC Directive 1999/31 on the landfill of waste.

Angela Smith: The Landfill Directive contains two separate components—targets for reducing the amount of biodegradable municipal waste (BMW) going to landfill and the introduction of detailed regulatory requirements in relation to the design, operation and aftercare of sites.
	The Waste and Emissions Trading Bill, currently before Parliament, sets the framework for the introduction of local authority landfill allowances schemes in each of the four territories of the UK to ensure that the BMW targets are met. The Bill permits allocating authorities (in the case of NI, the Department of the Environment) to make regulations setting the level of penalties and supplementary penalties where a local authority has breached its landfill allowance or has failed to maintain prescribed records, make prescribed returns etc. Penalties are automatic, but allocating authorities may extend the time for paying any penalty (including interest) or relieve a local authority, whether or not subject to conditions, from liability to the whole or any part of a penalty (including interest).
	The Bill also provides for penalties to be imposed on landfill site operators who fail to maintain prescribed records, make prescribed returns etc The penalties are stated on the face of the Bill and include fines and/or imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years.
	In Northern Ireland, a consultation exercise on options for meeting the BMW targets has just ended and an analysis of responses is under way. If this shows support for a system of district council landfill allowances, the provisions of the Bill in relation to penalties will be applied.
	The Department of the Environment proposes to consult on the regulatory requirements of the Directive, including penalties, later this year.

Planning Applications

Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many planning applications submitted to the Department have not been determined after (a) three, (b) six, (c) nine and (d) 12 months; and for those over 12 months, how long it is since they were first submitted.

Angela Smith: The total number of planning applications received by the Planning Service has increased from 19,771 in 1997–98 to 24,504 in 2001–02, an increase of 24 per cent. within five years. The result of this continuing increase has been an increase in the numbers of live applications in the system. At 31 December 2002, there were 11,361 live applications.
	Planning Service is committed to reducing the numbers of live applications, and in order to deal with this significant increase in workload, additional staff have been put in place and further staff are currently being recruited.
	Of the 11,361 live applications at 31 December 2002:
	5,305 were submitted three months or less ago;
	2,203 were submitted between three and six months ago;
	1,239 were submitted between six and nine months ago;
	637 were submitted between nine and 12 months ago; and
	1,977 were submitted over a year ago.
	Aggregating these figures to deal with the specific questions:
	6,056 applications have not been determined after three months;
	3,853 applications have not been determined after six months;
	2,614 applications have not been determined after nine months; and
	1,977 applications have not been determined after 12 months.
	Of the 1,977 applications older than 12 months:
	375 were submitted between 12 and 15 months ago;
	224 were submitted between 15 and 18 months ago;
	216 were submitted between 18 and 21 months ago; and
	177 were submitted between 21 and 24 months ago, with the remaining 985 older than two years.
	The number of cases live for longer than two years include major applications being processed under the Article 31 procedure and other contentious cases. Article 31 cases include applications which have led to public inquiries or hearings before the Planning Appeals Commission, and applications which require the submission of an Environmental Statement. The processing of other contentious cases is often extended where Planning Service is involved in protracted discussions with applicants, local communities and elected representatives in order to seek acceptable solutions to matters causing local concern.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Work-related Illness

Patsy Calton: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of days lost from the UK workplace due to stress; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Brown: Estimates from the 2001–02 survey of Self-reported Work-related Illness indicate that self-reported work-related stress, depression or anxiety account for thirteen and a half million reported lost working days per year in Britain.
	The statistics highlight the importance of tackling work-related stress, which the Health and Safety Commission has recognised by developing a strategy and priority programme of work. So far the Commission has published guidance to help managers and employers undertake a stress risk assessment; commissioned and published research about the evidence linking different factors in the workplace with stress; commissioned research on best practice interventions in dealing with work-related stress (which will be published in the spring); launched new web pages to provide a forum for sharing best practice; and begun the important job of developing standards of good management practice. These standards will provide the yardstick by which organisations can gauge their performance in tackling a range of key stressors.

Adviser Discretion Fund

Archy Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many payments have been made yearly from the Adviser Discretion Fund; and how many of these payments have gone to help pay for advance childcare deposits or other childcare costs in (a) Scotland and (b) the UK.

Maria Eagle: Information on the number of awards made through the adviser discretion fund since its introduction in July 2001 is in the table.
	
		Total number of Adviser Discretion Fund awards
		
			  Scotland GB(14) 
		
		
			 2001 (from July) 15,205 49,819 
			 2002 (up to November) 19,441 173,778 
			 Total 34,646 223,597 
		
	
	Information on all the goods and services the Adviser Discretion Fund has helped to purchase is not collected centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, the following table gives information under broad headings on the type of goods and services purchased using the Adviser Discretion Fund by people who have started work after receiving an award from the fund.
	
		
			 Type of goods or services purchased Proportion of the number of awards provided to people who have moved into work (percentage)(15) 
		
		
			 Help with clothes purchase 52 
			 Help with travel fares 20 
			 Help buying tools 6 
			 Help with training/certificates 2 
			 Help overcoming other barriers 20 
		
	
	(14) Employment services in Northern Ireland are the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Office.
	(15) This information cannot be broken down by country.
	Source:
	Jobcentre Plus

Departmental Expenditure (Newsprint)

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the total expenditure of his Department was on newspapers, magazines and periodicals in 2002.

Ian McCartney: The Department's total expenditure on newspapers, magazines and periodicals in 2002 was approximately £173,000. Subscriptions may also be taken at local level and information about these is not collected centrally.

Employment Zone Model

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to his oral answer to the hon. Member for Plymouth, Sutton (Linda Gilroy), of 13 January, Official Report, column 393, on the economically inactive, if he will make a statement on the Government's plans for the future of the employment zone model.

Nick Brown: The performance of the 15 employment zones is encouraging, and they have already helped over 29,000 long-term unemployed people from deprived areas move into work.
	From October 2003 we are extending the employment zone approach to lone parents and New Deal returners in existing zone areas. We want to see how well the employment zone approach translates to this wider client group. From April 2004 we also intend to test a multiple provider approach in some employment zone areas.
	We are continuing to look at the lessons we can learn from employment zones and how these can be put to use in the longer term.

Jobs Transition Service

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the work of the Jobs Transition Service.

Nick Brown: We have introduced the Rapid Response Service, formerly known as the Job Transition Service, to provide support for people affected by redundancies and help them make the transition into sustainable new jobs. The nature of the help provided by the service is tailored to the needs of the individuals, the employer and the local labour market. This can include offering information, advice and guidance to those affected, help with jobsearch, facilitating retraining where necessary or developing customised retraining programmes. People affected by redundancy can also have early access to Jobcentre Plus programmes such as the New Deals and Work Based Learning for Adults.
	In Scotland the Rapid Response Service builds on and complements the work already undertaken by the Scottish Executive's Partnership Action for Continued Employment (PACE) initiative. Training provision for individuals involved in a large scale redundancy in Scotland is normally met by PACE partnerships or Training for Work (TfW). However, the Rapid Response Service can provide specific, job-focused training in cases where TfW or PACE partnership support is not appropriate. The Rapid Response Service also provides its full range of non-training services in cases of major redundancies in Scotland.
	By December 2002, the Rapid Response Service nationally had provided support to over 200 companies and made its services available to over 67,000 people facing redundancy.

New Deal

David Clelland: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in (a) Newcastle upon Tyne and (b) Gateshead have been assisted by the New Deal.

Nick Brown: The available information is in the table.
	
		Total number of programme participants(16)
		
			  Newcastle upon Tyne(17) Gateshead(17) 
		
		
			 New Deal for Young People (from January 1998) 7,930 4,570 
			 New Deal 25 plus (from July 1998) 6,560 3,260 
			 New Deal for Lone Parents (from July 1998) 1,710 1,140 
			 New Deal 50 plus (Employment Credit claims) (from April 2000) 440 370 
		
	
	(16) Up to end of September 2002.
	(17) Local authority areas.
	Note
	The information is not available at local authority level for the New Deal for Disabled People and New Deal for Partners.
	Source
	New Evaluation Database.

New Deal

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  pursuant to his answer of 19 December 2002, refs 88095, 88096 and 88138, on the New Deal Environment Task Force, if he will list the amount of the under spend in each financial year to 2002–03;
	(2)  pursuant to his answer of 19 December 2002, refs 88095, 88096 and 88138, on the New Deal Environment Task Force, if he will list the other welfare to work initiatives that have been supported by the under spend against the original assumptions for the Environment Task Force; and if he will list the (a) additional amount spent as a result of the under spend on the Environment Task Force, (b) planned total spending and (c) actual expenditure in each financial year to 2002–03 for each such initiative.

Nick Brown: Information on under spends and their re-allocation is not available for individual New Deal Options, because while records are kept on the annual expenditure on each New Deal for Young People Option, annual budgets are not allocated on that basis. The purpose of the New Deal is to help young people move into work by meeting their individual needs. Therefore, an overall budget is allocated to Jobcentre Plus districts, which is then used as required to meet this objective.
	My answer of 19 December to the hon. Member, Official Report, column 1031W, refers to expenditure and under spends across the New Deal for Young People which have been re-allocated to support other welfare to work initiatives. For example, at the time of the 1998 Budget, it was estimated that £2.620 billion Windfall Tax would be spent on the New Deal for Young People by March 2002. Actual expenditure on the programme during this period was £1.190 billion, freeing funds for new initiatives such as Action Teams for Jobs and the permanent establishment of the New Deals.
	Information on the allocation of the Windfall Tax to welfare to work initiatives is in the pre-Budget report published in November 2002. This is available in the Library.

New Deal

Christine Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many young people in the City of Chester have been helped into jobs by the New Deal.

Nick Brown: Up to the end of September 2002, the New Deal had helped nearly 400,000 young people into work, including 374 in the City of Chester.

Pension Income

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average pension income was in each year since 1997.

Ian McCartney: The average incomes of pensioners is in the table.
	
		£ per week 
		
			  Average pension income  
			 Year All pensioner units Pensioner couples Single pensioners 
		
		
			 1997–98 196 280 143 
			 1998–99 201 285 148 
			 1999–2000 209 291 155 
			 2000–01 215 301 160 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. All incomes are £ per week and at 2000–01 prices.
	2. The average incomes quoted are net incomes before housing costs, which measures the net incomes before a reduction for the cost of housing.
	3. Pensioners are defined as: single (no-cohabiting) people over state pension age (65 for men and 60 for women) and couples (married or cohabiting) where the man, who is defined as the head of the couple is aged 65 and over.
	Source:
	Pensioners' Incomes Series, 2000/1

Sickness Absence

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many days were lost due to sickness absence in the Department in 2002.

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many working days were lost due to illness in his Department in (a) 2002 and (b) each of the preceding five years.

Ian McCartney: The information is not available in the form requested. Statistics for the DWP are available from April 2002.
	The number of days lost due to sickness absence between 1 April 2002 and 30 November 2002 is 1,113,333.9 days. Using this figure, the average number of working days lost due to sickness for this period equates to 12.2 days per person.

Statutory Instruments

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many statutory instruments were issued by the Department of Social Security in each calendar year since its formation; and how many have been issued by his Department since June 2001.

Angela Eagle: The information is in the table.
	
		
			 Year Statutory instruments issued 
		
		
			  
			 Department for Social Security  
			 25 July 1988 to 31 December 1988 26 
			 1989 61 
			 1990 83 
			 1991 83 
			 1992 85 
			 1993 73 
			 1994 72 
			 1995 80 
			 1996 145 
			 1997 90 
			 1998 61 
			 1999 90 
			 2000 110 
			 1 January 2001 to 7 June 2001 70 
			   
			  Department for Work and Pensions 
			 8 June 2001 to 31 December 2001 38 
			 1 January 2002 to 31 December 2002 98

Thames Gateway

Jon Cruddas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the extra resources required to support the growth and development of new communities in the Thames Gateway area; what discussions he has had with other Government Departments in relation to supporting the growth and development of new communities in the Thames Gateway; and what resources he has allocated to support the growth and development of new communities in the Thames Gateway.

Nick Brown: We are supporting deprived areas in the Thames Gateway through a variety of initiatives designed to help people furthest from the labour market find and keep jobs. These include the new deal for communities, action teams for jobs, employment zones, and the minority ethnic outreach service. The costs of this work are met from the overall budgets for these programmes.
	We are working closely with partners in these Thames Gateway areas to ensure that the problems faced by people in the poorest communities are tackled in an intensive and co-ordinated way.

Winter Fuel Payment

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his projections are of (a) the cash level and (b) the level at 2001–02 prices of the winter fuel allowance in (i) 2007–08, (ii) 2011–12 and (iii) 2021–22.

Ian McCartney: The winter fuel payment was introduced in 1997–78 at £20 for each eligible household and £50 for those on income support or income-based jobseeker's allowance. It was increased to £100 for winter 1999–2000 and to the current rate of £200 for each eligible household in winter 2000–01.
	This amount will continue to be paid for the rest of this Parliament, but we will keep the rate under review.

Workplace Health and Safety

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to his answer of 11 December, Official Report, column 379W, on workplace health and safety, what the cost was to the Exchequer of work-place accidents and illnesses for the most recent year for which figures are available.

Nick Brown: The most recent year for which figures are available is 1995–96. I refer the hon. member to the answer I gave him on 11 December 2002 , Official Report, volume 396, column 379W.

HEALTH

Brachytherapy Treatment

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if it is his policy to support the introduction of brachytherapy treatment facilities by hospital trusts;
	(2)  what his policy is to eliminate the differential availability of brachytherapy for prostate cancer patients in different parts of the country;
	(3)  if he will make a statement on the efficiency of brachytherapy as a treatment for certain prostate cancers; and if he will list those primary care trusts which are known to his Department (a) to fund and (b) to refuse to fund brachytherapy for the treatment of prostate cancer;
	(4)  what guidance he has issued to PCTs on the desirability of (a) their determining which prostate cancer sufferers should be funded for brachytherapy treatment and (b) their allocating cancer treatment funds en bloc to hospital trusts for them to determine which patients should receive funding for brachytherapy.

Hazel Blears: holding answers 21 January 2003
	The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) recently published guidance on the organisation and delivery of services for people with urological cancers, including prostate cancer. The guidance states that the option of brachytherapy should be discussed with men with early prostate cancer.
	However, the NICE guidance also acknowledges that the place of brachytherapy in the treatment of prostate cancer is uncertain and notes the importance of research to evaluate the effectiveness of brachytherapy for prostate cancer. The guidance refers to a randomised intergroup trial comparing brachytherapy with radical surgery that is being organised by the National Cancer Institute of Canada and the American College of Surgeons Oncology Group and strongly encourages United Kingdom participation in this study. As a result, the Department is making £900,000 available through the National Cancer Research Network (NCRN) to enable national health service patients to enter this trial. The National Cancer Research Institute Prostate Cancer Clinical Studies Group and the NCRN are working closely together to take this trial forward in the NHS.
	No guidance has been issued to primary care trusts (PCTs) on the allocation of funding for brachytherapy treatment. We are devolving power from the centre to enable PCTs to use the extra resources for the NHS to deliver on both national and local priorities for their communities, accounting publicly for how they have used them.
	It is not possible to list which PCTs fund brachytherapy, as this information is not collected centrally. Decisions on this treatment are a matter for the clinician and funding authority concerned and should be made in the light of all the available evidence.
	As more evidence on the effectiveness and cost effectiveness of brachytherapy becomes available, the Department will consider whether this treatment is a suitable topic for referral to NICE as a technology appraisal.

Brachytherapy Treatment

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the refusal of the New Forest Primary Care Trust to offer brachytherapy treatment for prostate cancer.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 21 January 2003
	The decision on whether or not to commission brachytherapy for local patients is currently a matter for individual primary care trusts (PCTs). Brachytheraphy is a comparatively new therapy, for which there is currently a limited evidence base which many clinicians regard as inconclusive.
	Local PCTs recognise the need to consider very carefully whether to provide a treatment for which the National Institute for Clinical Excellence has asserted that more research on effectiveness is needed.
	In view of this, and the understandable desire of patients for brachytherapy, concerted work is currently underway through the central south coast cancer network to review this treatment and agree a way forward for local health services. This process of review is currently underway and is expected to conclude before the end of the financial year.

Cancer Funds

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what items of expenditure he has included in his tracking exercise for earmarked cancer funds;
	(2)  when he will publish the results of his investigation into the destination of money earmarked for cancer in (a) 2001–02 and (b) 2002–03.

Hazel Blears: We have asked strategic health authorities to identify total additional investment in cancer services, with a sub total for cancer drugs and supporting information on new service developments.
	Further details are available at http://www.doh.gov.uk/cancer/trackinginvestment.htm
	We intend to publish the results in late spring 2003.

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Syndrome

Helen Southworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent evaluation his Department has made of the incidence of carbon monoxide poisoning syndrome.

Hazel Blears: The Department does not routinely collect information on the incidence of carbon monoxide poisoning.
	Information that the Department evaluates is taken from the other Government Departments and the National Poisons Information service.

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Syndrome

Helen Southworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action his Department is taking to ensure effective (a) diagnosis, (b) treatment and (c) rehabilitation for people suffering chronic effects of carbon monoxide poisoning syndrome.

Hazel Blears: In February 2002, the Chief Medical Officer and the Chief Nursing Officer published a letter Carbon Monoxide: The Forgotten Killer. This letter pulled together the most current information available on carbon monoxide and was forwarded to community nurses, midwives, health visitors and general practitioners. The letter gives instruction on how to diagnose carbon monoxide poisoning as well as how to manage patients who may display symptoms of poisoning.
	The Department has also forwarded a videotape, prepared for the Health and Safety Executive, to all GP surgeries. This tape again highlights the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning and gives advice to medical practitioners on how to diagnose possible poisoning cases.
	The Department has supported and continues to support voluntary organisations through the Section 64 Grants to Voluntary Organisations Scheme. These organisations provide support and advice for people and their families who have been affected by carbon monoxide poisoning.
	Officials in the Department have also published two papers in scientific journals that discuss carbon monoxide poisoning and in particular how exposure to long-term, low concentrations of carbon monoxide can affect health. The Department has also included a research project on carbon monoxide in its most recent programme of research in the air pollution field. The results of this project will be made available to the public on completion.

Cardiac Resuscitation

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of patients suffering cardiac arrests were resuscitated by ambulance staff, in each ambulance trust area in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

David Lammy: This information is not collected centrally.

Chronic Heart Disease

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many primary care practices have chronic heart disease management registers.

Hazel Blears: The development of practice-based registers of people with coronary heart disease (CHD) is a milestone under the national service framework (NSF) for coronary heart disease. We are not collecting data on all aspects of implementation of the NSF centrally and the national focus has been on monitoring the immediate priorities. Progress towards the milestones is being monitored locally by strategic health authorities.
	Evidence from the Primary Care and CHD collaboratives suggests that most practices have registers in place. In due course, the Commission for Health Improvement will provide an independent assessment of progress, including a specific review of the NSF for CHD.

Commission for Health Improvement

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many employees there are in the Commission for Health Improvement.

David Lammy: The number of people employed by the Commission for Health Improvement totals 328.

Departmental Staff

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many full-time equivalent staff are employed in (a) the Department and (b) each of the agencies it sponsors; and what the figures were for 1997.

David Lammy: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Cabinet Office, 16 January 2003, Official Report, column 697W.

Drug Rehabilitation (Kent)

Archie Norman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many registered drug addicts there were in (a) Tunbridge Wells and (b) Kent in each of the past five years.

Hazel Blears: Following the closure of the Home Office Addicts Index in 1997, the regional drug misuse databases were the main source of information on persons presenting to drug treatment services with a drug problem. Information is available by health authority (HA) area and is shown in the table.
	
		Number of users reported as presenting for treatment for drug misuse in East Kent and West Kent Has during the six month periods ending 30 September 1996 to 31 March 2001
		
			 Six month period ending East Kent HA West Kent HA Total 
		
		
			 September 1996 106 356 462 
			 March 1997 57 296 353 
			 September 1997 105 196 301 
			 March 1998 20 195 215 
			 September 1998 14 222 236 
			 March 1999 63 132 195 
			 September 1999 132 116 248 
			 March 2000 180 288 468 
			 September 2000 174 284 458 
			 March 2001 162 201 363 
		
	
	Notes
	1. Reporting to the Regional Drug Misuse Databases was voluntary; changes in the numbers of users presenting may, at least in part, be due to changes in reporting practice.
	2. Following NHS reorganisation in 2002, East Kent and West Kent health authorities became part of the Kent and Medway strategic health authority.
	Source
	The Department of Health series of Statistical Bulletins "Statistics from the regional Drug Misuse Databases". Bulletins for the six months ending March 1998 onwards are available on the internet at: http://www.doh.qov.uk/public/work public health.htm£SDD

Drug Rehabilitation (Kent)

Archie Norman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many drug rehabilitation places were available to registered drug addicts in (a) Tunbridge Wells and (b) Kent in each of the past five years.

Hazel Blears: In the case of residential rehabilitation, places are often purchased at a residential centre that may be outside the drug misuser's area of residence. Some social services agree to fund long distance placements with the agreement of the drug misusers so that he or she can be removed from the area where they are involved in drug using. Purchasing decisions are entirely a matter for agreement between the drug misusers and the local agencies.

Food Additives

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the effect of food colourings on the behaviour of children.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 21 January 2003
	The Committee on Toxicity of Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT) assessed a recent study investigating the possible effects of food colourings on the behaviour of children. COT considered that, while the research findings were consistent with the published reports, it was not possible to reach any firm conclusions about the significance of the observed effects.
	The Food Standards Agency subsequently established a working group to advise on the feasibility of further research. The group held its first meeting on 13 December 2002 and is expected to conclude its work this spring.

Haemophilia

Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether recombinant treatment products will be made available this year to all haemophilia sufferers in (a) England and (b) Northern Ireland.

Hazel Blears: In England, all haemophilia patients up to the age of 21 years receive recombinant clotting factors. The Government are considering the case for extending provision to all other haemophilia patients. A decision will be made shortly.
	Recombinant clotting factors have recently been made available for all haemophilia patients in Northern Ireland.

Health Services (Norfolk)

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many members of the Commission for Health Improvement attended the scrutiny sessions of the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital in 2002; and what was the cost of the visit;
	(2)  how many members of the Commission for Health Improvement attended the scrutiny sessions of the Norfolk Mental Health Trust in 2002; and what the cost was.

David Lammy: Teams carrying out clinical governance reviews are multidisciplinary. Each team normally comprises: a doctor, a nurse, a national health service manager, a lay member and another clinical professional who is not a doctor or a nurse; for example, a pharmacist or physiotherapist. A Commission for Health Improvement (CHI) review manager co-ordinates the team's work and a team of analysts collate and analyse data about the trust.
	CHI has commenced a clinical governance review of Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital NHS Trust. The review week is on 20 January 2003. The review team will comprise:
	one medical doctor;
	one nurse;
	one clinical professional who is not a doctor or nurse;
	one lay person;
	one manager; and
	one other.
	CHI conducted a clinical governance review of Norfolk Mental Health NHS Trust between July and December 2002. The CHI review team that visited Norfolk Mental Health NHS Trust comprised eight members:
	one lay member;
	one mental health service user reviewer;
	two occupational therapists;
	three mental health specialists; and
	one manager.
	The average cost of a clinical governance review from start to publication of the clinical governance review report ranges between £159,000 for an acute trust and 229,000 for a mental health trust. The difference in cost is due to the team size. The mental health review uses more reviewers and service users.

Healthy Start Scheme

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will announce the results of his consultation on the Healthy Start proposals; whether the Healthy Start Scheme will maintain the value of benefit to mothers who choose to bottle-feed their babies; and how many mothers and children he estimates will be eligible for the Healthy Start Scheme in each of the next five years.

Hazel Blears: The Department intends to publish a summary of healthy start consultation responses in spring 2003.
	The numbers of mothers and children eligible for the welfare food scheme will continue to be determined by the number of families which are in receipt of qualifying income-based benefits, and the numbers of children who receive day care from eligible providers.
	Decisions about the proposed reformed scheme will not be taken until the results of the consultation have been fully assessed.

Herbal Medicines

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information his Department collates on the number of adverse events in relation to (a) herbal medicines and (b) dietary supplements.

Hazel Blears: The Medicines Control Agency/Committee on Safety of Medicines (MCA/CSM) Yellow Card Scheme collates reports of suspected adverse reactions to medicines. The scheme was extended to include unlicensed herbal remedies in October 1996. The MCA also collates reports of suspected adverse reactions to vitamins and minerals.
	In addition, the MCA collates information on the safety of medicines, including unlicensed herbal remedies and vitamins and minerals from the published literature (such as the recent article in the "Lancet" on 11 January 2003), from other regulatory authorities and from external bodies such as Guy's Hospital medical toxicology unit.
	A number of articles have been published in the CSM/MCA drug safety bulletin, "Current Problems in Pharmacovigilance", drawing attention to adverse reactions associated with the use of herbal remedies and encouraging reporting through the Yellow Card Scheme.
	Herbal medicines and vitamin and mineral supplements are often supplied without prescription, and are taken without advice from doctors or pharmacists. It is generally recognised that the reporting rate for medicines supplied over the counter (OTC) is lower than that of suspected adverse reactions associated with prescription medicines. To increase reporting of suspected adverse reactions with OTC medicines, the Yellow Card Scheme has recently been extended to include nurses as reporters, and will be extended to include patient reporting via NHS Direct in the near future.

Hospital Food

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the answer of 7 January 2003, Official Report, column 181W, what proportion of trusts make no use of leading chef dishes.

David Lammy: Through the Better Hospital Food programme, acute hospital trusts were asked to include three leading chef dishes in their menus each day.
	Information collected from the national health service does not differentiate between hospitals which have included no leading chef dishes in their menus and those which have included fewer than three. It is therefore not possible to provide an accurate number of trusts which have made no use of these dishes.

Hospital Hygiene

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidelines he has issued on the use of alcoholic hand gels in the prevention of the spread of noroviruses; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: Evidence based guidelines on the general principles for preventing healthcare associated infection were commissioned and funded by the Department and published in January 2001 1 . These guidelines include the standard principles for hand hygiene and use of alcoholic hand rubs to decontaminate hands.
	Chief Executives of NHS trusts were recently reminded that the incidence of gastro-enteritis increases at this time of the year and that they may wish to consult published guidance on managing outbreaks due to norovirus, previously referred to as small round structured viruses or Norwalk-like viruses 2 .
	1 Journal of Hospital Infection (2001) 47(Supplement): SI doi:10.1053/jhin.2000.0921 available at http://www.doh.gov.uk/hai/epic.htm.
	2 Journal of Hospital Infection (2000) 45:1–10 Article nojhin.2000.0662 available at http//www.phls.org.uk/topics az/norwalk/hospital srsv.pdf

Hospital Hygiene

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what powers have been given to ward managers to enforce rigorous cleaning standards with particular reference to powers to withhold payment from contractors or staff; and if he will make a statement on the use of these powers by ward managers to date.

David Lammy: Health Service Circular HSC 2001/010, issued in April 2001, required national health service trusts and primary care trusts to ensure that all ward sisters and charge nurses have authority to ensure that the basics of care, including standards of cleanliness, are right. The circular also required that modern matrons be introduced to provide highly visible, accessible and authoritative figures.
	Where problems arise with cleaning standards which ward sisters or charge nurses are unable to resolve directly, then there should be systems to address these, including the authority for matrons to instruct that payment for cleaning services be withheld.
	Guidance on a system to address problems with cleaning services, including withholding of payment or termination of contracts, is set out in "Process Mapping the Housekeeper Service—A Toolkit for Change", launched in November 2002.
	The exercise of these powers is a matter for local discretion, and information is not held centrally on the extent to which they have been applied.

HPA

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many IT Systems within the organisations due to be amalgamated within the HPA will require re-engineering as a result of the changes.

Hazel Blears: Over time, all information technology systems will need to be reviewed and updated, to ensure they contribute to the objectives of the proposed Health Protection Agency (HPA), as set out in "Getting Ahead of the Curve", issued in January 2002. The board of the proposed HPA will be responsible for developing the necessary strategy.
	In the immediate term, priority is being given to ensuring that, on the establishment of the proposed HPA, existing systems continue to function effectively.

Job Sharing

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the extent of job sharing in his Department.

David Lammy: The percentage of staff who work part-time within the Department is 9 per cent. Of those part-time workers, 10 posts are known to be job shares. However, that number could be a great deal higher, as employees working on job share contracts are recorded as 'part-time' workers.
	It is therefore not possible to correctly identify the number of staff employed on a job share contract, as these figures do not differentiate between those actually employed part-time and those employed specifically on a job share contract.

Medical Reservists

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure that there are no consequences for the level of service provided by Queen Alexandra hospital in Portsmouth and Portsmouth hospitals NHS trust should medical staff working there be required to join troops in the middle east or be required to serve in war with Iraq; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: The Portsmouth hospitals national health service trust has worked for many years with the Ministry of Defence to ensure that the provision of hospital services is not adversely affected when military medical personnel are required to deploy on exercises and other military commitments.
	Contingency planning is ongoing between the Department of Health and the trust to minimise the effect of any call up should further deployments be required. The NHS community in Portsmouth and Hampshire is working with the trust in support of these contingency plans.

Mid-Essex Hospital Trust

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the total pay costs for employees in the latest available financial year were in the Mid-Essex hospital trust area.

David Lammy: holding answer 21 January 2003
	The total employee costs for Mid Essex Hospital Services National Health Service trust for 2001–02 was £76,664,000.
	Source:
	Summarisation Schedule for Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust 2001–02.

Milk

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the Healthy Start Scheme will reflect FSA guidance on the age limits for (a) whole milk and (b) semi-skimmed milk.

Hazel Blears: The guidance provided by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) on the age limits for whole and semi-skimmed milk is based upon that provided by the Committee on Medical Aspects of Food and Nutrition Policy (COMA). The welfare food scheme will continue to follow this advice.
	Decisions about the proposed reform of the scheme will not be taken until the results of the public consultation, which closed on the 13 December 2002, have been assessed.

Mixed-sex Mental Health Wards

Adrian Flook: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many mixed sex mental health wards there are in (a) Somerset and (b) Somerset and Dorset strategic health authority area.

Hazel Blears: The information requested is not available, as compliance is measured on a trust by trust basis and not at individual ward level.
	Hospital wards generally care for both men and women. Guidance issued to the national health service for new mental health accommodation recommends that patient privacy is maintained through providing single bedrooms, preferably with en-suite facilities.
	In existing facilities it is the responsibility of each NHS trust to determine the most appropriate configuration to meet their specific requirements. Wards may be split into single sex bays or single rooms, or otherwise configured to provide adequate segregation of gender.

Overseas Dental Surgeons

Mr. Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what training is on offer for those with qualifications from the University of Nairobi, who are not refugees, to qualify for registration as a UK dental surgeon;
	(2)  for what reason dental qualifications from the University of Nairobi are not recognised for registration as a UK dental surgeon; and if he will make a statement.

David Lammy: The General Dental Council (GDC) may only register dentists who have satisfied the GDC that they have the requisite knowledge and skills to practise safely.
	Accordingly, section 15 (1) of the Dental Act 1984 empowers the GDC to register as dentists graduates of a university dental school in the United Kingdom or any person who is a national of a member state of the European Economic Area and holds an appropriate European diploma. Section 16 of the Act empowers the GDC to set an examination for other dentists who trained abroad and are seeking registration here.
	The national advice centre for post graduate education of dentists, which is located at the Royal College of Surgeons, advises dentists on how to acquire the training and experience required to sit the GDC's international qualifying examination.

Patient Advice and Liaison Service

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if his Department will check that each NHS trust has instituted a Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) before community health councils are abolished; where a suitable PALS has not been implemented in an area, if he will extend the life of the local community health council to maintain cover; and whose responsibility it is to ensure a PALS is instituted before the relevant community health council is abolished.

David Lammy: Patient advice and liaison services (PALS) are not linked to the abolition of Community Health Councils (CHCs). CHCs will be replaced by a new system of patient and public involvement, based on local authority scrutiny of health services and the establishment of the Commission of Patient and Public Involvement in Health and Patients' Forums.
	PALS are an additional resource, providing a responsive service for patients, their families and carers.
	The Department has commissioned a mapping exercise of PALS implementation, due for completion at the end of January. Initial responses indicate an 89 per cent. implementation rate. It is anticipated that all trusts will have implemented PALS by April 2003.

PHLS Laboratories

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  in how many cases discussions about the financial terms of the transfer of a PHLS laboratory to the relevant NHS trust have not begun;
	(2)  how many agreements have been reached between NHS trusts and the PHLS about the financial details of the transfer of laboratories; and in how many cases such agreements are outstanding.

Hazel Blears: Detailed discussions about all the laboratory transfers are well advanced between Public Health Laboratory Service group directorates and national health service trusts. All are due to be completed by 31 March 2003.

Prostate Cancer

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he plans to begin his Department's public awareness campaign on prostate cancer.

Hazel Blears: The national health service prostate cancer programme stated that an education programme for the public, patients and professionals on the risks associated with individual testing for prostate cancer will be introduced.
	This has been achieved through the prostate cancer risk management programme, which sent out evidence-based primary care resource packs to all general practitioners in England from 23 September 2002 to aid them in counselling men who are worried about prostate cancer. This ensures that men make an informed choice about whether or not to have a prostate specific antigen (PSA) test based on an information leaflet developed specifically for men about the advantages and disadvantages of having a PSA test.
	The Department is funding a Section 64 grant to the Prostate Cancer Charity to increase further information about prostate cancer. This is supporting the creation, review, provision and dissemination of a range of awareness material, supported by £135,000 over three years.

Red Alert Status

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the hospitals that have been on red alert on each day since 1 November 2002 in England and Wales.

David Lammy: The term "red alert" is used by very few trusts and does not have a standard definition.
	All hospitals have escalation procedures, which are activated during times of increasing pressure. However, details of these procedures will depend on local circumstances and are not held centrally.

Retained Organs Commission

Robert Wareing: To ask the Secretary of State for Health who the members of the Retained Organs Commission are; and what their (a) profession and (b) attendance records are.

David Lammy: Details of all Retained Organs Commission board members, including their names and curricula vitae, are available on the Commission's website at www.nhs.uk/retainedorgans
	The official minutes of each board meeting record those members who attend, and these are also published on the Commission's website. I have asked the Chair of the Commission to write to the hon. Member with further details of Commissioner's attendance.

Sickness Absence

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many days were lost due to sickness absence in the Department in 2002.

David Lammy: The statistics on days lost due to sickness absence within the Department of Health during the year 2002 will be available in due course. The figures will be available through the "Analysis of Sickness Absence in the Civil Service 2002" produced by the Cabinet Office. The report will be available on the Cabinet Office website and will be placed in the Library.

Sickness Absence

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many working days have been lost due to illness in his Department in (a) 2002 and (b) each of the preceding five years.

David Lammy: The statistics on days lost due to sickness absence within the Department of Health during the year 2002 will be available in due course. The figures will be available through the "Analysis of Sickness Absence in the Civil Service 2002" produced by the Cabinet Office. The report will be available on the Cabinet Office website and will be placed in the Library.
	The average number of working days lost since 1997 are shown in the table.
	
		
			  Average(18) days lost per employee through sickness (per staff year) 
		
		
			 1997 7.8 
			 1998 (19)9.2 
			 1999 6.6 
			 2000 5.5 
			 2001 6.5 
		
	
	(18) Working days absences exclude weekends and bank holidays for staff working a "Monday to Friday" week.
	(19) Based on pre-audit data and methodology. In 1998 Civil Service departments and agencies undertook an audit of their monitoring systems following the 'Working Well Together' report. The re-worked figures were not submitted in time for publication of the 1998 report and unadjusted figures were published in this year.
	Source:
	Analysis of Sickness Absence in the Civil Service BMI Health Services report (1997 Table I, 1998 Table K), Analysis of Sickness Absence in the Civil Service BIOSS report Table H (1999), Analysis of Sickness Absence in the Civil Service BIOSS report table H (2000), Analysis of Sickness Absence in the Civil Service AON report table E (2001).
	The Department is committed to meeting its public service agreement targets for reducing sickness absence and will be conducting a review of its guidance for both long-term and short-term sickness absence management.

Timber

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library a copy of the NHS PASA report on timber.

David Lammy: The National Health Service Purchasing and Supply Agency has not published a specific report on timber. The Agency has published its second environmental report for 2001–02, which includes a comprehensive section on timber. This report has been placed in the Library. The Agency also gives details of its policy on timber, and the environmental issues relating to timber and purchasing in the NHS, on its website. Members of the public can also also obtain such details by writing to Corporate Affairs, National Health Service Purchasing and Supply Agency, 80 Lightfoot Street, Chester CH2 SAD.

Type 2 Diabetes

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many new cases of Type 2 diabetes have been diagnosed in each of the last five years in (a) males under 30, (b) males 30 and over, (c) females under 30 and (d) females 30 and over; and if he will make a statement.

David Lammy: This information is not collected in the form requested.

Waiting Lists

Adrian Flook: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in the Taunton and Somerset NHS trust area were waiting for in-patient treatment on the latest available date.

Hazel Blears: At the end of November 2002, the number waiting for in-patient treatment at the Taunton and Somerset national health service trust was 6,408.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Arson

Eric Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many (a) malicious vehicle fires, (b) incidents of arson and (c) incidents of arson in educational establishments there were, broken down by local authority fire brigade area, in England and Wales, in (i) 1997 and (ii) 2001.

Nick Raynsford: The information requested is in the following table.
	
		Malicious fires(20),(21) by location and brigade area, England and Wales, 1997 and 2001(22)
		
			 Brigade area 1997 total Road vehicles Educational establishments 2001(22) total Road vehicles Educational establishments 
		
		
			 England and Wales 72,932 38,218 1,081 109,816 72,081 1,052 
			 England 67,682 35,162 1,007 102,402 67,038 1,005 
			 England—non-met. counties 34,292 17,519 462 53,184 34,458 499 
			
			 Avon 1,514 887 20 3,227 2,513 22 
			 Bedfordshire 824 513 0 1,162 865 10 
			 Berkshire 800 509 12 1,224 943 2 
			 Buckinghamshire 926 562 12 1,424 1,033 9 
			 Cambridgeshire 890 504 15 1,199 813 5 
			 Cheshire 1,129 432 25 1,627 948 14 
			 Cleveland 1,353 571 36 2,409 1,486 5 
			 Cornwall 347 178 0 533 311 5 
			 Cumbria 557 300 8 675 380 10 
			 Derbyshire 949 507 13 1,370 942 15 
			 Devon 959 443 20 1,107 614 21 
			 Dorset 643 286 10 975 579 17 
			 Durham 1,151 507 31 1,398 751 12 
			 East Sussex 857 455 9 1,431 919 17 
			 Essex 1,128 649 12 2,424 1,687 21 
			 Gloucestershire 527 264 14 680 466 5 
			 Hampshire 1,205 526 11 1,459 821 24 
			 Hereford and Worcester 610 299 0 827 445 5 
			 Hertfordshire 848 431 13 1,302 885 8 
			 Humberside 1,528 722 8 2,245 1,380 32 
			 Isle of Wight 87 22 0 125 32 0 
			 Kent 1,865 1,086 25 3,006 2,143 24 
			 Lancashire 1,968 821 37 2,835 1,367 41 
			 Leicestershire 1,345 752 22 1,877 1,175 32 
			 Lincolnshire 551 263 8 855 473 0 
			 Norfolk 850 411 5 1,135 738 6 
			 North Yorkshire 552 255 11 891 555 6 
			 Northamptonshire 929 550 4 1,439 954 10 
			 Northumberland 528 272 5 617 371 5 
			 Nottinghamshire 1,661 818 18 3,614 2,668 15 
			 Oxfordshire 645 372 1 787 562 11 
			 Shropshire 518 309 10 848 515 0 
			 Somerset 448 226 15 808 511 15 
			 Staffordshire 1,169 653 3 1,742 1,135 33 
			 Suffolk 386 164 6 701 404 16 
			 Surrey 570 329 5 922 661 8 
			 Warwickshire 535 343 10 765 567 5 
			 West Sussex 582 239 2 985 539 5 
			 Wiltshire 358 89 4 533 306 10 
			 Isles of Scilly 0 0 0 1 0 0 
			
			 England—met. Counties 33,390 17,644 545 49,218 32,580 506 
			 Greater Manchester 7,271 4,042 156 10,497 7,016 122 
			 Merseyside 3,562 1,569 123 5,595 3,468 61 
			 South Yorkshire 2,415 1,562 30 3,403 2,379 43 
			 Tyne and Wear 3,152 1,581 29 3,808 2,259 35 
			 West Midlands 5,900 3,044 66 7,551 4,826 57 
			 West Yorkshire 4,702 2,874 69 8,111 6,168 90 
			 Greater London 6,388 2,971 72 10,253 6,464 98 
			
			 Wales 5,250 3,056 74 7,414 5,043 47 
			 North Wales 635 275 23 1,153 689 0 
			 Mid and West Wales 1,523 991 18 2,088 1,518 4 
			 South Wales 3,092 1,791 33 4,173 2,836 42 
		
	
	(20) Including late call and heat and smoke damage incidents.
	(21) Figures are based on sampled data weighted to true brigade totals.
	(22) Figures are provisional

City of London

Harry Cohen: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister for what reasons the City of London received the ceiling in the recently announced local authority grant settlement; and if he will make a statement.

Christopher Leslie: The City of London gained primarily from the "fixed costs" elements in the Education and EPCS blocks to reflect the diseconomies of scale faced by smaller authorities and the increased weighting for daytime visitors and commuters in the Highways and EPCS blocks.

Community Projects

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what powers he has to ensure that local authority income from the sales of schools and community buildings is invested in the community on specific projects.

Nick Raynsford: Local authorities are free to use these receipts for any capital purpose in accordance with Office of the Deputy Prime Minister policy of giving authorities increased financial freedom.

Flood Protection

David Lidington: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much was paid in grant to each local authority in respect of (a) coastal defence and (b) flood protection in each of the last five years; and how much will be paid to each local authority for 2003–04.

Margaret Beckett: I have been asked to reply.
	Defra provides grant to local authorities for flood defence and coast protection capital works which satisfy essential criteria. Authorities may claim grant on eligible expenditure during the construction of works. Details are provided in the table for the grant paid to each authority for each of the last five years. For 2002–03 the amount shown is that paid to date. Allocations to all operating authorities for 2003–04 are still being considered.
	
		Payments 1998 to 2000–01
		
			  Financial year  
			  1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01  
			 Payee name Coast protection Flood defence Coast protection Flood defence Coast protection Flood defence 
		
		
			 Adur District Council 8,415.00  14,423.00
			 Allerdale Borough Council 25,808.37  1,029,147.65  108,678.35  
			 Alnwick District Council 12,285.17  
			 Arun District Council 1,487,515.34  802,715.68  16,182.40  
			 Babergh District Council  49,992.50 
			 Barrow Borough Council 34,415.00  43,627.85  21,036.79  
			 Berwick upon Tweed Borough Council 26,117.16  143,029.00  442,155.87  
			 Birmingham City Council  373,794.38 
			 Blackpool Borough Council 3,092,956.75  6,610,695.00  3,159,713.30  
			 Blyth Valley, Borough of 2,038.0032,987.88  
			 Bournemouth Borough Council 384,229.21  232,529.88  258,282.20 
			 Bridgnorth District Council107,500.00   
			 Brighton and Hove Council   625,835.13  42,573.38  
			 Cambridgeshire County Council7,371.00   
			 Canterbury City Council 2,616,936.90  450,970.41  75,236.28  
			 Caradon District Council 106,695.02 5,219.67   65,780.14  
			 Carrick District Council   
			 Charnwood Borough Council   
			 Chichester District Council 26,211.72  71,818.89  19,896.03  
			 Christchurch Borough Council   1,005,697.73  103,071.25  
			 Copeland Borough Council   18,604.85  24,726.05  
			 Derby City Council   
			 Derbyshire Dales District Council   
			 Dover District Council 452,168.55  117,401.21  45,574.79  
			 Easington District Council 5,607.67  42,677.63
			 East Devon District Council 530,010.56  371,770.95  56,669.90  
			 East Riding of Yorkshire Council 3,321,397.41  560,889.12  151,110.22  
			 Eastbourne Borough Council 5,554,467.88  1,526,994.63
			 Epping Forest District Council74,731.25  10,494.25 
			 Fareham Borough Council 42,096.60  
			 Gosport Borough Council 503,662.45  547,932.99  130,744.02  
			 Great Yarmouth Borough Council 1,065,829.70  339,333.80  123,521.25  
			 Hartlepool Borough Council 3,401.2553,281.94  
			 Hastings Borough Council   
			 Havant Borough Council 21,387.50  587,992.50  21,226.22  
			 Hertsmere Borough Council  146,583.05 
			 Isle of Scilly Council 354,909.00  10,842.50
			 Isle of Wight Council 587,134.65  918,297.51
			 Kerrier District Council 41,486.15  
			 Kings Lynn and West Norfolk, Borough 361,373.40  
			 Kingston Upon Hull City Council17,463.22   
			 Lancaster City Council 295,520.00  340,934.92 121,500.00 602,221.99  
			 Lewes District Council   55,679.00
			 New Forest District Council 413,180.88 48,092.32 216,284.18  350,955.55 8,046.65 
			 North Cornwall District Council  41,692.95 
			 North Devon District Council  2,830.50 255,014.55  9,014.26 272,378.63 
			 North Dorset District Council  4,714.71 
			 North East Lincolnshire Council3,269.38   
			 North Norfolk District Council 479,324.00  431,628.67  142,318.01  
			 North Tyneside Council   
			 Poole, Borough of 56,000.00  9,588.22 3,554.73 402,567.58  
			 Portsmouth City Council 892,535.77  68,485.97  38,244.20  
			 Purbeck District Council  103,353.3643,398.53 
			 Redbridge, London Borough of   
			 Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council 11,413.85  37,738.10  16,910.46  
			 Restormel, Borough of 228,930.60 68,690.25 
			 Salisbury District Council  15,688.13 
			 Scarborough Borough Council 265,760.10  3,181,993.70 38,141.10 3,127,940.77  
			 Sefton, Metropolitan Borough of565,895.70  727,342.38 
			 Shepway District Council 213,532.48 327,422.72 365,011.25 75,068.67 70,179.57  
			 South Bedfordshire District Council  8,123.71 
			 South Hams District Council 39,131.26  
			 South Herefordshire District Council  21,005.75 
			 South Somerset District Council  69,396.4821,970.34 
			 South Tyneside Council   
			 Southend on Sea Borough Council 2,479.85 17,804.2281,225.00 
			 Suffolk Coastal District Council 211,280.03  1,574,443.60  232,582.74  
			 Sunderland, City of   239,964.16  33,023.55  
			 Taunton Deane Borough Council70.25   
			 Telford and Wrekin Council20,000.00  10,860.99 
			 Tendring District Council   79,342.47  608,024.05  
			 Thanet District Council 104,470.00  
			 Torbay Borough Council  2,581.25  20,452.46   
			 Wakefield City Council  47,466.87 
			 Wansbeck District Council 100,610.2597,777.50  
			 Waveney District Council 16,454.52  247,385.05  44,836.86  
			 West Devon District Council  16,685.00 
			 West Dorset District Council 532,636.52 44,299.75 252,620.76 158,363.49 126,383.31 172,940.36 
			 West Oxfordshire District Council   
			 West Somerset District Council   55,682.25
			 Weymouth and Portland Borough Council7,198.64   
			 Windsor and Maidenhead Borough Council  20,201.25 
			 Wirral, Metropolitan Borough of 145,875.00  1,282,500.00  1,151,820.25  
			 Worthing Borough Council   18,191.84
			 Wyre Borough Council 59,259.58 22,851.00 
			 Total 24,181,318.94 855,654.28 24,785,714.60 1,220,579.89 12,562,881.07 1,951,492.667 
		
	
	
		Payments 2001–02 to 2002–03
		
			  2001–02 2002–03  
			  Coast protection Flood defence Coast protection Flood defence 
		
		
			 Adur District Council 
			 Allerdale Borough Council 10,791.84  897,894.40 76,469.85 
			 Alnwick District Council 2,493.75
			 Arun District Council 201,976.10  52,870.43  
			 Babergh District Council 
			 Barrow Borough Council 2,375.97
			 Berwick upon Tweed Borough Council 1,912,494.59
			 Birmingham City Council  153,556.38   
			 Blackpool Borough Council 1,850,268.67
			 Blyth Valley, Borough of 1,810.13  2,143.75  
			 Bournemouth Borough Council 237,197.18  360,004.15  
			 Bridgnorth District Council 
			 Brighton and Hove Council 57,831.63
			 Cambridgeshire County Council 
			 Canterbury City Council 170,595.74  106,627.40 32,024.25 
			 Caradon District Council 57,046.69  53,842.57  
			 Carrick District Council   21,066.85  
			 Charnwood Borough Council111,982.50 
			 Chichester District Council 
			 Christchurch Borough Council   47,583.62  
			 Copeland Borough Council 12,290.40
			 Derby City Council21,375.00 
			 Derbyshire Dales District Council  41,829.04   
			 Dover District Council 796,595.41  8,646.99  
			 Easington District Council 
			 East Devon District Council 24,685.49 6,750.00 62,775.78 39,230.10 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire Council 1,288,543.89 272,311.94   
			 Eastbourne Borough Council 912,078.13  38,655.50  
			 Epping Forest District Council 
			 Fareham Borough Council 
			 Gosport Borough Council 30,131.86  36,064.63  
			 Great Yarmouth Borough Council 260,863.42  66,078.56  
			 Hartlepool Borough Council 2,618.26
			 Hastings Borough Council 22,546.49
			 Havant Borough Council 68,333.66  41,063.75  
			 Hertsmere Borough Council  17,735.23   
			 Isle of Scilly Council 
			 Isle of Wight Council   100,154.57  
			 Kerrier District Council 1,965.63
			 Kings Lynn and West Norfolk, Borough 
			 Kingston Upon Hull City Council 
			 Lancaster City Council 662,125.85 116,748.31 2,194.50  
			 Lewes District Council 
			 New Forest District Council 87,277.50  290,780.75  
			 North Cornwall District Council 
			 North Devon District Council   14,102.32  
			 North Dorset District Council 
			 North East Lincolnshire Council 
			 North Norfolk District Council 39,240.00  28,363.65  
			 North Tyneside Council 2,400.98
			 Poole, Borough of 111,933.16
			 Portsmouth City Council 102,160.51  5,374.26  
			 Purbeck District Council 
			 Redbridge, London Borough of16,920.00 
			 Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council 339,698.20  22,879.73  
			 Restormel, Borough of 26,394.15  3,058.38 18,695.00 
			 Salisbury District Council 20,516.25
			 Scarborough Borough Council 4,200,712.68 6,786.34 11,746,934.22  
			 Sefton, Metropolitan Borough of 10,113.31 469,782.74  11,523.00 
			 Shepway District Council   2,890.23 24,170.35 
			 South Bedfordshire District Council 
			 South Hams District Council 2,576.14 6,010.90   
			 South Herefordshire District Council 
			 South Somerset District Council 
			 South Tyneside Council 26,335.05
			 Southend on Sea Borough Council  765,179.10  1,984,447.48 
			 Suffolk Coastal District Council 65,697.50
			 Sunderland, City of 21,726.95  10,365.25  
			 Taunton Deane Borough Council
			 Telford and Wrekin Council  68,09*6.06  5,568.99 
			 Tendring District Council 180,133.72
			 Thanet District Council 
			 Torbay Borough Council  652.99   
			 Wakefield City Council 
			 Wansbeck District Council 110,345.72
			 Waveney District Council 
			 West Devon District Council 
			 West Dorset District Council 294,571.57 206,086.95 600,499.10 1,730,650.04 
			 West Oxfordshire District Council  37,220.25   
			 West Somerset District Council 23,524.38
			 Weymouth and Portland Borough Council 14,603.71  553,657.21  
			 Windsor and Maidenhead Borough Council 
			 Wirral, Metropolitan Borough of 16,886.89
			 Worthing Borough Council 
			 Wyre Borough Council 3,985.77   10,280.25 
			 Total 14,288,494.92 2,168,746.23 15,176,572.55 4,083,336.79

Housing (Rural Areas)

Andrew George: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what proportion of housing stock was (a) owner occupied, (b) public sector rented and (c) private sector rented in (i) England and (ii) local authorities defined as rural, by region, in each year since 1978.

Tony McNulty: The proportions of the housing stock owner occupied, public sector rented and private sector rented in England are tabled. Information on the proportions for rural authorities by region is also provided, but is available only for 2001.
	
		Proportion of dwellings by tenure: England -- Percentage
		
			  Owner occupied Public rented Private rented 
		
		
			 1978 56 31 13 
			 1979 57 31 12 
			 1980 59 29 12 
			 1981 60 29 11 
			 1982 60 29 11 
			 1983 61 28 11 
			 1984 62 27 11 
			 1985 63 27 11 
			 1986 64 26 10 
			 1987 65 25 10 
			 1988 66 25 10 
			 1989 67 24 9 
			 1990 67 23 10 
			 1991 67 23 10 
			 1992 67 23 10 
			 1993 67 22 10 
			 1994 67 22 11 
			 1995 67 22 11 
			 1996 68 22 11 
			 1997 68 21 11 
			 1998 68 21 11 
			 1998 69 21 10 
			 1999 69 20 10 
			 2000 70 20 10 
			 2001 70 19 10 
		
	
	Note
	Public rented is Registered Social Landlord plus local authority.
	Percentages may not add exactly to 100 due to rounding.
	
		Proportion of dwellings by tenure in 'rural' local authorities by Government Office Region: 2001 -- Percentage
		
			  Owner occupied Public rented Private rented 
		
		
			 North East 60 33 7 
			 North West 75 14 11 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 78 14 8 
			 East Midlands 76 16 9 
			 West Midlands 72 17 11 
			 East 76 14 10 
			 London — — — 
			 South East 78 12 10 
			 South West 73 15 11 
			 England 75 15 10 
		
	
	Note
	Public rented is Registered Social Landlord plus local authority.
	Percentages may not add exactly to 100 due to rounding.

Housing Co-operatives

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what discussions he has held with the Housing Corporation concerning the funding of new developments through housing co-operatives; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: There have been no discussions specifically about funding new developments through housing co-operatives.
	The Housing Corporation publishes an annual National Investment Strategy which sets out its investment objectives and policies. This is supported by investment strategies produced in each region which contain regional priorities derived from the regional housing statements prepared by the Government office for the region and the corporation with various regional and local bodies. Funding in each region is allocated according to these priorities and registered social landlords, including housing co-operatives, can bid for this funding.

Housing Corporation

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what discussions he has held with the Housing Corporation on the provision of adequate funding for the rehabilitation of street properties.

Tony McNulty: There have been no discussions specifically about funding the rehabilitation of street properties.
	The Housing Corporation's national investment strategy aims to focus more of its programme on increasing the supply of homes, particularly in areas of high demand. However, the corporation will continue to fund refurbishment of existing properties where this meets strategic priorities.

Local Government Finance

Harry Cohen: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister which London local authorities will not have a real terms grant increase this year based on inflation, wage commitments and net nursing care and health transfers applicable to those local authorities; how much the shortfall is in each case in (a) percentage and (b) cash terms; and what percentage that represents of each of those local authorities' average Band D council tax.

Christopher Leslie: All London authorities received a like-for-like increase in grant of at least 3.5 per cent. in the provisional settlement, considerably above the latest increase in the retail price indices. This increase fully reflects-at national level-the transfers of function and new burdens, including those for social services.

Local Government Finance

David Laws: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to review the revenue supply grant settlement for South Somerset District Council for 2003–04; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Raynsford: The consultation on the 2003–04 provisional local government finance settlement closed on 14 January. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is currently considering the representations that were made during the consultation period, including those on behalf of South Somerset District Council. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will announce the settlement to Parliament at the beginning of February.

TREASURY

Departmental Spending Plans

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the budget was of (a) Customs and Excise, (b) the Inland Revenue and (c) the Government Actuary's Department will be in 2004–05 and 2005–06; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: The spending plans for all Departments for the years 2004–05 and 2005–06 were published in July 2002 in the 2002 Spending Review White Paper: "Opportunity and Security for All". The Chancellor's Departments including Customs and Excise, Inland Revenue and the Government Actuary's Department were covered in chapter 20. http://www.hm-treasury. gov.uk/Spending_Review/spend_sr02/report/spend_ sr02_repchap20.cfm

Building Restoration (VAT)

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to alter VAT rates on the restoration of buildings.

John Healey: The Government's long-term objective is to secure a reduced rate of VAT for the repair and maintenance of listed buildings that are used as places of worship, which are currently not permitted under long-standing formal European agreements with our European partners. In Budget 2001, the Chancellor announced that the European Commission has indicated that it will review its reduced rates for VAT in 2003. In the meantime, the Government have introduced a grant scheme to run in the interim period, until the review has been completed.

Child Tax Credit

David Willetts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families received the children's tax credit in 2001–02, broken down into those that received (a) under £100, (b) £101 to £200, (c) £201 to £300, (d) £301 to £400, (e) £401 to £500 and (f) over £500; and in what form it was collected in each case.

Dawn Primarolo: I regret that the breakdown requested is not available. For the number receiving the Children's Tax Credit (ChTC) for 2001–02 via PAYE code adjustments, and for the number of these for which the adjustment was reduced because the claimant was a higher rate, I refer the hon. Member to my answer to him on 17 April 2002, Official Report, column 971W.
	Estimates of the values of the 2001–02 ChTC to all taxpayers, including those claiming via self assessment, will become available from the Survey of Personal Incomes towards the end of this year.

Construction Industry

Mark Prisk: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the value is of tax lost in the last year to the Inland Revenue in connection with the Construction Industry Scheme.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is not available.

Construction Industry

Mark Prisk: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimates have been made of the cost to date of developing software to manage the Construction Industry Scheme.

Dawn Primarolo: The Inland Revenue will not begin software development until a decision has been taken on the future of the Construction Industry Scheme, following analysis of the responses to the consultation document.

Construction Industry

Mark Prisk: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimates have been made of the total costs for developing software for the future administration of the Construction Industry Scheme.

Dawn Primarolo: The Inland Revenue published a Consultation Document with the PBR entitled "The Inland Revenue and The Construction Industry: Working Together for a New Scheme". This document contains a series of proposals for the future of taxation in the Construction Industry. The overall estimated cost to the Inland Revenue of putting these proposals in place—including IT, capital costs and staff training—is £40 million. At this stage in the development it is not possible to provide any reliable estimates for specific elements.

Construction Industry

Mark Prisk: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Construction Industry Scheme vouchers the Inland Revenue processed in the last financial year.

Dawn Primarolo: The total number of CIS vouchers processed during the period 5 April 2001 to 31 March 2002 was £8,821,609.

Construction Industry

Mark Prisk: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress is being made by the Inland Revenue to develop software to manage the Construction Industry Scheme.

Dawn Primarolo: The consultation period for the consultation document "The Inland Revenue and the Construction Industry: Working Together for a New Scheme" ends on 28 February 2003. No decision on the future of the Construction Industry Scheme will be taken until the responses to the document have been analysed. In the meantime, software development will not begin.

Cot Deaths

Paul Marsden: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list for each year since 1997 the death rates from sudden infant death syndrome for babies born into families in the manual social classes.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Paul Marsden, dated 22 January 2003
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking to list each year since 1997 the death rates from sudden infant death syndrome for babies born into families in the manual social classes. (91984)
	The table below provides sudden infant death rates by social class based on father's occupation in England and Wales for the years 1997–2001. Recording of occupation on births and deaths where the birth was registered solely by the mother is incomplete. For this reason, sudden infant death rates by social class are shown excluding sole registered births. The death rates for solely registered births are shown separately.
	Occupation at death was used to derive numbers of deaths by social class in this table, as only a 10 per cent. sample of birth registrations are coded to an occupation.
	
		Sudden infant death rates by social class based on father's occupation(23),(24), 1997–2001, England and Wales -- Rates(25)
		
			  Year of death  
			 Social class 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 
		
		
			 Non-manual 0.3 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.1 
			 Manual 0.6 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 
			 All births (excl. sole registered births) 0.5 0.3 0.4 0.3 0.3 
			 Sole registered births 1.8 1.5 1.4 1.3 1.3 
			 All births 0.6 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 
		
	
	(23) Numbers of infant deaths by social class are based on father's occupation at death registration.
	(24) Numbers of live births by social class, used in calculating rates, are based on father's occupation at birth registration.
	(25) Rate per 1,000 live births.

Euro

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  if his Department has completed the preliminary technical work relating to the five economic tests of the euro; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  if he will list the studies commissioned on the five economic tests for the euro, stating in each case whether each (a) has been completed, (b) is under way and (c) has yet to be started; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: The preliminary analysis supporting the five tests assessment— technical work needed to enable the assessment to be completed within two years of the start of the Parliament—is well under way.
	The "Paper for the Treasury Committee on the Treasury's Approach to the Preliminary and Technical Work" published on 6 September 2002 set out a number of supporting studies that will be published alongside the assessment of the five economic tests. Further detail can be found in the 6 September Paper.

Government Procurement Savings

Mark Prisk: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reason the figure of £850 million saved in Government procurement was not included in the Treasury performance report against public service agreement.

Paul Boateng: The data gathering for the value for money gains in 2001–02 was not completed by the publication date of the Performance Report. Total gains for 2000–01 and 2001–02 are £815 million.

Income Tax

David Willetts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much income tax was paid during the last financial year, broken down by (a) gender and (b) 10 year age bands.

Dawn Primarolo: Amounts of income tax liabilities broken down by gender and 10 year age bands in 2000–01 are in the table.
	
		£ million 
		
			  Male Female All 
			 Age band Total tax Total tax Total tax 
		
		
			 Under 20 250 140 390 
			 20–29 7,170 4,270 11,400 
			 30–39 21,500 7,650 29,100 
			 40–49 22,900 6,530 29,400 
			 50–59 17,800 4,680 22,500 
			 60–69 6,060 1,780 7,840 
			 70 or over 3,160 1,750 4,910 
			 All 78,800 26,800 105,600 
		
	
	Estimates are based on the Survey of Personal Incomes.

Inland Revenue

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the (a) nominal and (b) real percentage increase in spending in the Inland Revenue from 1998–99 to 2002–03; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: As the 2002–03 expenditure information will not be available until after the end of the financial year it is not possible to answer this question at the present time.

Insurance Standard

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with the International Accounting Standards Board regarding the development of a new insurance standard.

Paul Boateng: None.

Ministerial Travel

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the total expenditure by his Department on ministerial travel (a) in the UK and (b) abroad, in each year from 1995–96 to 2002–03 (estimated); and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given to him today by the Minister of State, Cabinet Office.

National Investment and Loan Office

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the annual cost of the National Investment and Loan Office in each year from 1990–91 to 2003–04 (planned).

Ruth Kelly: The annual costs of the National Investment and Loans Office in each year from 1990–91 to 2003–04 are outlined in the table.
	
		£000 
		
			  Running Costs Other Current Capital Total Income applied against expenditure and raised from fees and charges Net Total  
		
		
			 1990–91 1,167 163 1,330 1,133 197 
			 1991–92 1,236 432 1,668 1,355 313 
			 1992–93 1,154 384 1,538 1,538 — 
			 1993–94 1,234 173 1,407 1,407 — 
			 1994–95 1,263 177 1,440 1,366 74 
			 1995–96 1,221 604 1,825 1,574 251 
			 1996–97 1,183 517 105 1,805 1,738 67 
			 1997–98 1,490 4,080 12 5,582 5,263 319 
			 1998–99 1,490 3,763 36 5,289 5,289 — 
			 1999–2000 1,450 3,802 14 5,266 5,266 — 
			 2000–01 1,397 3,810 25 5,232 5,232 — 
			 2001–02 1,538 4,942 21 6,501 6,407 94 
			 2002–03 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 
			 2003–04 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. NILO ceased to exist on 1 July 2002, with functions merged into either the UK Debt Management Office or HM Treasury.
	2. Under previous accounting treatment, as used in the years 1990–91 to 1995–96, 'other current' and 'capital' costs are grouped together.
	3. The increase in costs in 1997–98 coincides with the first full year that OPG was part of NILO.
	4. Costs for 2001–02 are stated in resource terms, following the introduction of resource accounting across Government.
	5. Any income above the amounts listed in the table was returned to the Consolidated Fund as extra receipts.

National Savings and Investments

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to privatise National Savings and Investments; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: There are no plans to privatise National Savings and Investments.

National Savings and Investments

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the reduction in the annual costs of government borrowing as a consequence of the existence of National Savings and Investments (a) in gross terms and (b) net of the administrative costs involved; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: National Savings and Investments' Annual Report includes information on "value added". This is a measure of how cost-effective they are at raising finance for government from the retail sector. It is a measure of the difference in the cost of raising funds through NS&I (after taking account of administrative costs and, where appropriate, tax-foregone) and the cost of raising the same amount through similar (ie variable, fixed-rate or index-linked) gilts. By raising cost-effective finance, NS&I help to reduce the overall cost of government borrowing.
	The value added figure for 2001–02 was £76.3 million. If administrative costs had been omitted (gross) the figure would have been £232.1 million.

National Savings and Investments

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the outstanding amount of savings and investment with National Savings and Investments, broken down by product; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: The total invested in National Savings and Investments' products at 31 March 2002 was £62.3 billion. The breakdown by product was published in National Savings and Investments Product Accounts 2001–02 on 18 December 2002. The position as at end-March 2002 was as follows:
	
		National Savings and Investments' product breakdown at end-March 2002 
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 Capital Bonds 1,284 
			 Children's Bonus Bonds 1,209 
			 Fixed Rate Savings Bonds 529 
			 Guaranteed Equity Bonds 40 
			 Income Bonds 9,285 
			 Individual Savings Accounts 886 
			 Investment Accounts 7,433 
			 Ordinary Accounts 1,378 
			 Pensioners Guaranteed Income Bonds 4,056 
			 Premium Bonds 17,299 
			 Savings Certificates 18,022 
			 Treasurers' Accounts 61 
			 Products no longer on sale 836 
			 Total 62,318

National Savings and Investments

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the total administration costs for National Savings and Investments in each year from 1990–91 to 2005–06 (planned); and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: National Savings and Investments' administrative costs from 1990–91 to 2005–06 (planned) are outlined in the following table.
	
		
			 Year Cash accounting basis (£000) Resource accounting basis from 1998–99 (£000) 
		
		
			 1990–91 £173,224 (including £6,650 capital expenditure)  
			 1991 -92 £181,714 (including £6,143 capital expenditure)  
			 1992–93 £196,960 (including £12,803 capital expenditure)  
			 1993–94 £198,769 (including £4,778 capital expenditure)  
			 1994–95 £196,701 (including £4,046 capital expenditure)  
			 1995–96 £193,520 (including £5,382 capital expenditure)  
			 1996–97 £179,656 (including £3,521 capital expenditure)  
			 1997–98 £175,537 (including £3,066 capital expenditure  
			 1998–99 £171,016 (including £6,110 capital expenditure) £180,337 (including provision of £5,110 for product accounts adjustments which did not form part of public expenditure) 
			 1999–2000 £169,097 (including £120 capital disposals) £179,661 (including provision of £589 for product accounts adjustments which did not form part of public expenditure) 
			 2000–01 £167,429 (including £3,300 capital expenditure) £165,561 
			 2001–02 £163,847 (including £122 capital expenditure £174,073 
			 2002–03 £170,608 (including £300 capital expenditure) £171,170 
			 2003–04 £170,200 (including £1,300 capital expenditure) £172,300 
			 2004–05 £172,490 (including £500 capital expenditure) £172,300 
			 2005–06 £170,280 (including £500 capital expenditure) 170,300

National Savings and Investments

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the present (a) maturity structure and (b) average interest cost of outstanding monies borrowed by the UK Government through National Savings and Investments; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: As at end-March 2002, the weighted average maturity for all National Savings and Investments' products is estimated at 4.14 years.
	The total interest cost of NS&I products (including Premium Bond prizes) for 2001–02 was £2,447 million. This equates to an average interest cost of 3.9 per cent. per annum.

National Savings and Investments

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the annual saving in each of the last 10 years from borrowing money through National Savings and Investments rather than through conventional issuance of UK Government debt securities; how much of that saving is due to (a) the term structure of debt and (b) the underlying cost of debt; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: National Savings and Investments' Annual Report includes information on "value added", a measure of how cost-effective they are at raising finance for government relative to comparable gilt yields. The measure has only formally been used since 1998–99 so figures are not readily available for earlier years. The figures from 1998–99 to 2001–02 were as follows:
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 1998–99 110 
			 1999–2000 329 
			 2000–01 82 
			 2001–02 76

Office for National Statistics

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of real terms expenditure at the Office for National Statistics in each year from 1996–97 to 2005–06 (planned); and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Colin Mowl to Mr. David Laws, dated 22 January 2003
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question concerning real term expenditure at the Office for National Statistics in each year from 1996–97 to 2005–06 (planned). I am replying in his absence. (91701)
	The requested information is shown in the attached table.
	
		Office for National Statistics(26) spending
		
			 Financial year Expenditure(27) (£ million) 
		
		
			 1996–97(28) 126.7 
			 1997–98 106.5 
			 1998–99(29) 109.6 
			 1999–2000(29) 108.5 
			 2000–01(29) 156.6 
			 2001–02(29) 206.9 
			 2002–03(29) 147.4 
			 2003–04(30) 139.5 
			 2004–05(30) 156.7 
			 2005–06(30) 165.7 
		
	
	(26) The Office for National Statistics' principal activities are the collection, analysis and dissemination of business, economic, socio-economic, health and population statistics, the production of social surveys, the census of population for England and Wales, maintenance of the National Health Service Central Register and the register of births, deaths and marriages.
	(27) Figures are in real terms (2002–03 prices). Expenditure is calculated as the total of the resource budget plus the capital budget less depreciation. Figures are actual expenditure to 2001–02 and planned expenditure thereafter.
	(28) The Office for National Statistics was created as a Government Department and an Executive Agency on 1 April 1996 by merging the Central Statistical Office (CSO) and the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys (OPCS). During 1996–97, ONS moved most of its London staff from four existing sites to a complex of building at Drummond Gate Pimlico. Most of the cost of refurbishment and fitting out of those buildings fell in 1996–97.
	(29) Figures from 1998–99 to 2002–03 include additional provision for planning, fieldwork and initial processing of the 2001 Census of Population in England Wales.
	(30) Figures from 2003–04 include additional provision in the Spending Review 2002 settlement for ONS to invest in a programme of modernisation to improve the quality of official statistics.

Office for National Statistics

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what reasons underlie the increase in real spending on the Office for National Statistics, comparing 1998–99 with 2003–04; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Colin Mowl to Mr. David Laws, dated 22 January 2003
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question concerning what reasons underlie the increase in real spending on the Office for National Statistics, comparing 1998 with 2003–04. I am replying in his absence. (91705)
	Office for National Statistics spending 1 in 1998–99 was £109.6 million in real terms (2002–03 prices) and is estimated to increase to £139.5 million in 2003–04. Most of the increase in funding is to enable the Office for National Statistics to develop a programme of "Neighbourhood Statistics" to provide better local level data to inform policy and programmes to combat social exclusion. The balance is to support the Office's programme of modernisation aimed at improving and expanding statistical outputs, and enhancing web-enabled access by data users and suppliers.
	1 Spending is calculated as the total of the resource budget plus the capital budget less depreciation.

Office for National Statistics

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his latest estimate is of the value of (a) land, (b) buildings and (c) other assets owned by the Office for National Statistics; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Colin Mowl to Mr. David Laws, dated 22 January, 2003
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question concerning the value of (a) land, (b) buildings and (c) other assets owned by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). I am replying in his absence. (91706)
	As at 31March 2002 the written down value of assets owned by ONS was as follows;
	a) Land £6,779,000
	b) Buildings £36,853,000
	c) Other assets £9,372,000

Office for National Statistics

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his latest estimate is of the total value of all the fixed assets of the Office for National Statistics; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. David Laws, dated 22 January 2003
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question concerning the total value of all the fixed assets of the Office for National Statistics (ONS). (91707)
	As at 31st March 2002 the value of assets owned by ONS was £53 million.

Office for National Statistics

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his latest estimate is of the value of the Drummond Gate Offices of the Office for National Statistics; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Colin Mowl to Mr. David Laws, dated 22 January 2003
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question concerning the value of the Drummond Gate Offices of the Office for National Statistics (ONS). I am replying in his absence. (91708)
	ONS leases the Drummond Gate office and is therefore unable to say what its estimated value is. However, the refurbishment work undertaken by ONS has been capitalised and its written down value at 31st March 2002 was £21,104,000.

Office for National Statistics

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many motor vehicles are owned by the Office for National Statistics; if he will list these with the current total valuation; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Colin Mowl to Mr. David Laws, dated 22 January 2003
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your question concerning how many motor vehicles are owned by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and their total current valuation. I am replying in his absence. (91711)
	ONS owns fourteen vehicles. Their written down values as at 31st March 2002 were:
	Vauxhall Astra £1,873
	Ford Focus £4,082
	Vauxhall Astra £3,843
	Ford Focus £5,755
	Ford Focus £5,840
	Ford Focus £5,843
	Vauxhall Vectra £6,302
	Ford Mondeo £7,246
	Ford Zetec £8,033
	Celebrity Scooter £1,956 (disabled wheelchair)
	Ford Mondeo £10,192
	Ford Focus £7,820
	Citroen Zsara £7,805
	Ford Mondeo £9,407
	£85,997

Office of Government Commerce

Mark Prisk: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what savings the Office of Government Commerce has secured in (a) financial years (i) 2000–01 and (ii) 2001–02 and (b) from May 2002 to December 2002.

Paul Boateng: Value for money gains in the financial years 2000–01 and 2001–02 were as follows:
	2000–01—£414 million
	2001–02—£401 million
	The 2000–01 gains figure has been adjusted down from the £433 million total reported in the Treasury Performance Report.
	As data on gains is collected in the financial year following procurement action, a figure for 2002–03 is not yet available.

Pensions

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the estimated cost of income tax relief for approved pension schemes as stated in table 7 of the November 2002 'Tax Ready Reckoner and Tax Reliefs' includes tax paid on all pension payments including the state retirement pension; what the tax take was from pension income netted off in the total cost given in the row; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: The estimated net cost of relief for approved pension schemes is the sum of the front-end contributions to these schemes plus the relief on the investment income of funds, net of the tax paid on current private pensions in payment. Since income tax relief is not given on an accruing entitlement to the state retirement pension it would not be appropriate to include current payments from these in the net cost of relief to private schemes.
	A more detailed breakdown of the estimate for 2001–02 is contained in table T7.9 of Inland Revenue Statistics. The latest version is on the Inland Revenue website; http://www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/stats/pensions/p_t09_1.htm

Pensions

David Drew: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of total government revenue is represented by the total public sector pension obligation.

Paul Boateng: Expenditure on unfunded public service pensions, net of employee contributions, is estimated to total about £13.2 billion in 2002–03. Annual government revenue for 2002–03 is estimated at £400 billion (Table B12 of November 2002 pre-Budget Report, Cm 5664). Funded public sector pensions are paid from the particular pension fund and information on the totals of those payments and the related pension fund receipts is not held centrally.

Public Services Productivity

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his answer of 9 January 2003, Official Report, column 360W, on public services productivity, if he will place in the Library a list of attendees for the meetings of the Public Services Productivity Panel for 2000–02; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Boateng: The Public Services Productivity Panel is a small group of senior business people and public sector managers that was established to identify ways of improving productivity in the public sector. A list of panel members from 2000–02 will be placed in the Library.

Sustainable Fuels

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what fiscal measures he proposes to encourage the use of sustainable fuels in road vehicles.

John Healey: The Government's taxation plans are announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in his annual Budget. In making his judgment, he considers all relevant economic, social and environmental factors.
	Last year, the Government introduced a reduced rate of duty for biodiesel set at 20p per litre less than the prevailing rate for ultra low sulphur diesel.
	In the Pre-Budget Report, we announced a reduced rate of duty for bioethanol, to be set at 20p per litre less than the prevailing rate for ultra low sulphur petrol.
	The Green Fuel Challenge has resulted in support, in the form of duty exemptions, for pilot projects promoting research into the use of hydrogen, methanol and biogas from landfill sites as fuel for road vehicles.

Tax Returns

Norman Lamb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many self-assessment tax-returns were received by the Inland Revenue, and how many of these that have subsequently been lost (a) in the current financial year to date and (b) in each previous year of the operation of the self-assessment system; and how many complaints were received by the Inland Revenue from taxpayers who claim to have submitted their tax-returns before the self-assessment deadline, but where the Inland Revenue has no such record of such a tax-return being received (i) in the current financial year to date and (ii) in each previous year of the operation of the self-assessment system;
	(2)  if he will make a statement on the loss of self-assessment tax return forms by the Inland Revenue.

Dawn Primarolo: holding answer 20 January 2003
	Around 9 million self-assessment return forms are received by the Inland Revenue each year. In an operation of this size a very small proportion of returns may be misplaced. But the Revenue do not keep specific data about the number. The Revenue do their utmost to keep to a minimum any inconvenience to taxpayers and do their best to help those affected.

Taxation

Howard Flight: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the income tax receipts foregone, since 1 October 2000, as a result of the Government's policy of levying a lower rate of tax on ultra-low sulphur petrol.

John Healey: No income tax receipts have been foregone, but the cost to the Exchequer of introducing, in October 2000, a lower duty rate for ultra-low sulphur petrol (ULSP) relative to that for ordinary unleaded petrol, is estimated to be £1,200 million to December 2002. Complete conversion of the UK unleaded petrol markets to these cleaner specification fuels has been achieved.

Thermal Insulation

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received on the VAT rate of 17.5 per cent. on the sale of thermal insulation products for private purchasers; and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: The Government has received numerous representations from members of the public, and others from individual hon. members and businesses. Under long-standing formal agreements with our European partners, we are not able to introduce a reduced rate of VAT for energy-efficient or energy-saving materials sold direct to the public. The Government has pressed the European Commission to bring forward, during this year's review of VAT reduced rates, proposals to allow a reduced rate for energy-saving materials purchased for DIY installation.

Unpaid Tax

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his latest estimate is of unpaid tax by each major category of tax for the last year for which information is available; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The Inland Revenue's financial account runs from the beginning of November until the end of October. The figures for the period to 25 October 2002, will not be verified until June of this year.